Support Services
“It’s all about Team Work”
What are the support services?
The support services at Willen Hospice provide a vital function in the care of patients and staff. They are the non clinical departments that supply facilities such as:
- Catering
- Housekeeping
- Maintenance
- Gardening
Catering
There is a Catering Team of 7 staff excluding bank and volunteer staff. Meals are tailor made for each patient giving as much choice as possible.
There can be up to twenty patients in the In-Patient Unit needing meals three times a day and an average of a further fifteen diners in the Hospice Day Centre on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
| “Patients remain our first concern,” says Phil, head chef, “and we always strive to cater to their individual needs whether these are dietary or religious. Our suppliers can provide both halal and kosher meals and a vegetarian option is always on the menu. Medical and admin. staff are also looked after by way of main meals, suppers and sandwiches. As with most other areas of the Hospice network, the catering team relies upon the valuable assistance of volunteers to help serve meals to patients and dispense refreshments at other times. This can mean up to four or five volunteers helping out at core times throughout the day alongside catering and nursing staff to ensure meals are served to patients on time. ” |
Apart from catering for the day to day needs of the Hospice, the Catering Department also has a regular schedule of events to provide for - most recent examples being the Willen Hospice Garden party, as well as a reception for those who ran the London Marathon in aid of the Hospice, and a function for the brave band of charity parachute jumpers. There are also Trustee meetings and training sessions throughout the year to be catered for.
Apart from a small amount of frozen supplies all food comes from local companies. There are deliveries three times a week but bread and milk is supplied daily.
The Catering Department and the Hospice in general continue to be grateful for the many and varied food donations given throughout the year by local companies, organisations and by caring individuals, particularly during the Christmas season.
Housekeeping
The Housekeeping Team consists of 5 people who provide a 7 day general cleaning and deep cleaning service and support the clinical staff.
Housekeeping staff who work within patient areas are specially trained in infection control. They work closely with the clinical staff within the In-patient Unit so that patient rooms can be ready for occupancy very quickly to reduce waiting times for patients and visitors.
All staff follow a strict cleaning schedule which also includes a carpet cleaning schedule. Waste items are recycled whenever possible.
Maintenance
The Maintenance Team consists of 2 full time staff and 2 volunteers who provide all the services listed below:
- Manage all contracts for the repair and servicing of all equipment, buildings and grounds including clinical equipment at the Hospice and general equipment at Willen Hospice Shops and Warehouse.
- Conduct regular Planned, Preventative Maintenance (PPM) checks in-house to minimise cost.
- Document all repairs and track for outside contractors.
- Support events held at the Hospice eg Lights of Love, Ascot day, Summer Garden Party.
- Help project-manage building projects at the Hospice.
- Manage and support volunteer projects at the Hospice undertaken by outside companies.
- Organise departmental moves - general portering, data, telephone and power and moving services.
Gardening
The Gardening Team consists of a contracted part-time gardener assisted by a loyal band of volunteer gardeners.
| Celia, one of our volunteer gardeners says: "On Thursday mornings a group of us head to the gardens at Willen Hospice. We track down our hard-working gardener, Frank, and find out which part of the grounds need attention. We fetch tools and wheelbarrows and off we go – to the pleasures of gardening right next to Willen Lake. Whatever the weather there’s something beautiful to see. Masses of daffodils and tulips make a fantastic show from March onwards. In summer the colourful bedding plants we’ve planted in June will be flowering. Then the changing leaves in autumn hold centre stage. In winter we get a lot of satisfaction from seeing the neatly pruned shrubs and tidy borders. Ask any of us why we do it and we would tell you that it’s fun and sociable. More than that, we’re helping to make the Hospice grounds a tranquil haven for people who need peace and beauty to lift their spirits at a testing time in their lives. We often meet visitors to the Hospice strolling along the paths or sitting in the sunshine appreciating the lovely views. The last word should go to a 12 year old boy we know. Asked why it was important that the hospice should have an attractive garden he said, 'Because you can look out of your window and it makes you happy.' |
image by Patrick Doggett image by Philip Ball
