As part of our Faces Behind the Care campaign, we sat down with Dr Jenny, our Medical Consultant and Director. She shared insights into her role and what it means to walk alongside patients and families during such an important time.
When did you first join Saint Michael’s?
13 years ago in 2012. My first consultant job and I’ve stayed here ever since.
Could you tell us a bit about your role and what a typical day looks like for you?
My role has two sides. One is clinical, caring for patients on our Inpatient Unit, which I love. It’s about understanding what matters to each person and managing symptoms with the team. The other is my role as Medical Director, making sure the unit runs smoothly, policies are in place, and we keep improving the care we provide. No two days are ever the same, but every day I go home knowing we’ve made a real difference.
In your role, what do you find makes the biggest difference to patients and their families?
What really stays with me, and keeps me doing this job, isn’t always the big things. More often, it’s the simple, thoughtful touches that families notice, like making sure someone has their hair done or their lipstick on. That attention to detail, asking what matters to each person, is what really makes a difference and those are the moments that stick with me.
Is that something you hear often, when families reflect on their time here, that it’s the little details, the everyday things you do, that mean the most?
Yes, definitely. Families often tell us it’s the little things that mean the most, like taking time to listen, explain, and notice the details. It might be helping someone enjoy the balcony when they can’t get to the garden, or offering simple mouthcare so they feel more like themselves. Those small details really matter. They give people back a bit of who they are and for relatives too, being at the hospice often lifts a huge weight off their shoulders. A daughter who has been the main carer at home might say, ‘Now I can just be a daughter again’, that release of pressure means so much.
What is it like for you to support someone in their final days or hours of life?
I often reflect on this, because most people don’t go to work each day and spend time with people who may be in their last days or hours of life. For me, the reason I feel comfortable is that very early on I realised our role isn’t to cure or stop an illness from progressing, that’s not possible. What we’re here to do is make that journey smoother, to ease symptoms, and to maintain dignity and respect. We prepare carefully to make sure those final moments are peaceful and for families, that can be such a comfort. So it’s a sad time, but hopefully they can say, ‘They were peaceful, they were comfortable, and we were able to be with them.’ That’s what matters.
What makes hospice care so special?
I believe it is about our attention to detail, and keeping the patient at the heart of all our care and treatment decisions.
Like Jenny, our team makes a real difference every day. You can help us keep this care going by donating today. Every gift helps to make a real difference to the care we provide.
