On a mission to break down barriers and myths around hospice care, Nightingale House’s new Director of Clinical and Patient Services, Tracy Thomas, has an important message to people who may be nervous about accessing our services…

“There is nothing to be afraid of, please come and talk to us and you’ll be surprised about the services that we offer. We are here to help you live your best life.” 

Tracy brings extensive experience to her role through a medical career spanning more than 30 years. She began working at Nightingale House as Nurse Consultant two years ago.

She said: “I love not only being able to get to know patients but also their relatives. The holistic approach to care that we have here is first-class. I love the whole ethos of Nightingale House, the calmness and the support, the calibre of staff we have got working here… the reception team, the medical team, our admin staff. Everyone makes a difference.

“Coming from a General Practice background, it can be very business-like. While they still provide excellent care it can be on a shorter time allowance with patients. When a patient gets a diagnosis they can find themselves stuck in a cycle where sticking plasters are being put on as symptoms are being picked up late.”

Tracy is working hard to break myths, barriers and misconceptions around hospice care. She said: “Nightingale House is a place where you come to live well. She is urging people who are nervous or worried to come forward to reach out. She said:

“A lot of people assume that a hospice is a place where people come to die. There is so much more to us that people aren’t always aware of.

“To anyone who is anxious about receiving care I would say come and have a little look around. Have a look at what goes on, the wellbeing, the music therapy and art sessions and see the holistic therapies in action. It’s a happy and welcoming place. The hydrotherapy pool is so beneficial for people with an early diagnosis of a neurological condition. For someone to be able to access this early in their diagnosis will help to maintain their muscle strength for a longer period. It’s about living well and managing conditions well from the early stages.

“Making use of our pool, our complementary therapies, the skills of our medical team, all go hand-in-hand to ensuring our patients live their best life.”  Tracy praised the benefits of the Wellbeing Programme on patients’ mental wellbeing.  

She said “Wellbeing sessions allow patients a chance to speak to each other in a group setting. You get a lot of information from your peers. And sometimes patients might have questions that they may not want to ask us, but they’ll ask someone in their group and share experiences that way.

“Whether a patient first comes here for wellbeing, respite or is admitted to the Inpatient Unit, you can see straight away that they’re happier, you can almost see their shoulders relaxing. They get to know our lovely staff and quickly become part of the hospice family. The more they come the more they realise that it’s not ‘that place where you come to die’.

“You can see that reaction in family members too. They can see how beneficial it is to see their loved one having the care here in such lovely surroundings.”
Tracy is a determined woman not only in her professional life but also her personal life. Completing her first Ironman competition at the age of 47 to prove to her teenage sons that you can achieve anything if you are determined enough, she regularly completes half marathons, ultra marathons and cycle races.

For their 25th wedding anniversary next year Tracy and her husband Guy will celebrate by competing in an Ironman competition along with their two sons. And Tracy won’t be stopping there. For Nightingale House’s 30th anniversary Tracy will be taking on a remarkable challenge to raise money for the hospice – walking the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way, a spectacular 135-mile-long walking trail, with a team of colleagues.

Tracy added: “I’m constantly blown away by the support we get from our community who raise millions of pounds each year to help us. Without them we could not help the people that we do. I would like to thank each and every one of our amazing supporters.”