Toni’s story

Making a difference to patients and their families

Toni is a senior healthcare assistant in our Rapid Personalised Care Service covering south west Hertfordshire. One Sunday in June Toni noted two encounters during her shift that bring home the importance of what the team does and the difference they make in the lives of patients and families, as well as the knock-on effect this can have throughout the community. 

“That day Tiffany, Rachel and I visited a new patient. She was very unwell and in severe pain. We were able to offer the patient some massage which gave her some much-needed respite from her pain. Afterwards she said it was the best she had felt in weeks.

“Her family was so grateful to us for the time we spent with her and the way our massage was able to help her forget her pain momentarily. They said we were ‘angels’ and had changed the whole mood in their home to a calm, happy environment for them.

“After this we had a short gap before our next visits so we popped to a coffee shop to pick up a drink. While waiting to order a lovely lady spotted our uniforms and came to thank us for everything we do and told us we are amazing.  She then paid for our drinks.

“We love our jobs. We are palliative carers because we want to help patients who are near the end of their life experience compassion, dignity and the best care at such a difficult time. It’s also a privilege to support the families around each patient. This one shift was filled with reminders of why we do it and the huge impact it can have on people in our community at one of the toughest times of their lives.”