A spotlight on: Wiliam Barber is a Senior Community Hospice at Home Paramedic working within our Buckinghamshire Hospice at Home service.
Why I chose palliative care
"I qualified as a paramedic in 2020. Right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. So that was quite a time to start! At the start of my career I found myself seeing a lot of palliative and end of life patients as well as elderly people struggling with frailty. I think it’s because it was so difficult for people to access other services during lockdown."
A day in the role
“There’s definitely no such thing as a ‘typical’ day. During some shifts I make routine visits, and other shifts are for responsive visits. During responsive shifts I go out to patients who have called because they have an immediate, urgent need. The visits cover all areas of Buckinghamshire that Rennie Grove Peace serves, so I often spend a long time travelling from one end of our patch to the other to reach patients when they need us.”
What the role really involves
“Last week I visited a patient who was experiencing severe pain. After assessing them I was able to give medication to get the pain under control. While I was there, I took time to explain the process to the patient and their family. They were able to share their concerns, and the support I gave provided reassurance.In cases like this it feels like I haven’t done a lot medically, but the time spent listening and supporting can make a huge difference.”
From ambulance service to hospice care
“Although the situation we arrive in is different, the core skills of being a paramedic are the same. Care, communication and compassion are at the heart of both roles. Palliative care has long been a passion of mine, so this role allows me to use my skills to support people during one of the toughest times of their lives.”
The privilege of the role
“As a paramedic it is a privilege to be welcomed into people’s homes during hard times and to be able to care for them.
This role inspires a certain trust in people, and that’s something I never take for granted.”
Working over Christmas
Working over Christmas is part and parcel of being a paramedic so I’m used to it. I have often worked Christmas Day before and patients are usually very grateful for our support, at a time when so many other services are closed. “In this role I think it will be poignant to visit patients and families during the Christmas period. It will be an honour to be able to help them at a time when they might not know where else to turn. Although I’m sure many of them will be struggling with the emotions that come from knowing this may be their last Christmas together. “I’ll spend time with my own family on the days around Christmas. They’re all very understanding of the nature of the job. They’re proud of the work I do and happy to shift our own celebrations to accommodate it
Making an impact on people’s lives:
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