Children at the heart of our care

CHILDREN AT THE HE RT OF OUR CARE

Julia’s House doctors, Dr Martin Hussey and Dr Jo Frost, share why the increasingly complex needs of the children we support require more medical care and a team approach

“Julia Perks and I worked together at Poole Hospital and I remember her talking all about setting up the children’s hospice service, so I feel I have been part of Julia’s House from the very start,” says Martin, who joined the hospice in 2020.

Jo has worked locally in paediatrics since 2015 and also at a children’s hospice in the past: “I know just what an important role children’s hospices play in the community as part of the wide team of support around seriously ill children and their families.”

RESPONDING TO GROWING NEEDS

“The children we support have become increasingly complex from a medical point of view; this is reflected nationally too, so we have to respond to these changing and growing needs,” continues Jo. “It is challenging for everyone and especially for parents, who have to be so focused on providing care, that sometimes the medical interventions and equipment seem to take priority. We aim to take some of that medical burden away from families, so they can enjoy their time together.”

Martin adds: “We work hard to keep the child at the centre of our care, in increasingly complex circumstances. As the medical team in many ways we are not the most important people here, everyone else is. It’s the whole team that provide care for the whole child, not just meeting their medical needs, but their physical, emotional, psychological and developmental needs too.”

MORE CHOICE

Increasing Jo and Martin’s time at the hospice will also enable Julia’s House to offer families more choice at the end of their child’s life: “Families will be looked after wherever they may be for end of life – in a hospital, at a hospice or at home, but for us it will mean being able to provide more choice if they would like to be at the hospice. We can now make this a possibility

“WE WORK HARD TO KEEP THE CHILD AT THE CENTRE OF OUR CARE, IN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX CIRCUMSTANCES. AS THE MEDICAL TEAM IN MANY WAYS WE ARE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE HERE, EVERYONE ELSE IS.”

Dr Martin Hussey

Dr Jo Frost and Dr Martin Hussey

for more families and be able to care for more children.” Jo emphasises it’s about a choice and not an ‘instead of’ for families: “It’s very much about having that wider team philosophy and working closely with community care. Home is often the first choice and sometimes parents prefer to be in the hospital, but if they want to come to the hospice, we can provide that.

“And the hospice can provide that care for the whole family – cooking meals for everyone, the family can stay over, visitors can be planned. We can take away the other burdens of life, so that they can concentrate on their child, concentrate on just being parents. We’re not a hospital in a hospice nor are we home, but we are able to offer elements of each as our focus is holistic care.”

Martin and Jo emphasise the importance of teamwork: “It really is a whole team approach, and we aspire to link NHS and other services and the hospice to make that positive difference to a child and their family.”

They both take their inspiration from the children and families: “The children and families face considerable challenges but despite everything they can still find time to smile and have fun. I hope that with the support of Julia’s House they can find more time for the fun family activities”, said Martin. “They often support and help others, alongside their own challenges, and that is inspiring and puts our own problems into perspective.”