Royal Derby Hospital staff reunite husband and wife in palliative care

The couple's daughter, Jo, was facing an extremely difficult situation

The daughter of a patient cared for at Royal Derby Hospital returned to the site to pay tribute to the compassion shown by colleagues after their hard work to reunite her with a husband and wife at home while receiving palliative care. The patient, named Mo, was diagnosed with hearing loss and vascular dementia and was admitted to A&E following a fall that required surgery.

During her recovery from surgery, she struggled with communication and eating, prompting a referral to the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton's (UHDB) dementia team for additional support. Sadly, it was found that, due to her deteriorating condition, Mo required palliative care.

Mo's daughter, Jo Nicholls, was faced with an extremely difficult situation - with both her parents in palliative care and in different places. Jo explained these circumstances to the nursing teams caring for her mother and that she would not be able to visit her mother in the hospital as a result of her father also receiving palliative care.

Following this, thanks to the combined efforts and hard work of Ward 203 and Dementia colleagues involved in her care, Mo was able to receive the care she needed at home - reunited with her beloved husband. In a heartfelt letter sent to UHDB, Jo wrote to express her gratitude for the care and compassion that the teams demonstrated in bringing her parents together in their final days.

She made a surprise return visit to the colleagues involved in the care of her mother, during which they were recognised for their actions through a Patient Hero Making a Difference Award. The award was presented within Ward 203 by UHDB executive chief people officer, Amanda Rawlings, alongside patient and public engagement lead, Judith Payne, who received Jo’s initial letter.

During an emotional visit to the ward, Jo said she was “overwhelmed” to express her gratitude in person to the teams who made it possible for her mother and father to be together in their home during such a crucial time.

She continued: "I just want to say a big thank you to everybody who looked after my mum and got her back home so quickly. The care my mum received here was outstanding, and for that, I will be eternally grateful.

“You all deserve this award, and I'm so pleased to be here to watch you be presented with it." Ward 203 at Royal Derby Hospital is a trauma and orthopaedics ward with a speciality in spinal care.

The dedicated team on the ward is highly skilled in managing complex cases, such as those involving falls and spinal injuries, ensuring that patients receive the best possible treatment during their recovery. Following her fall and subsequent surgery, Mo was admitted to Ward 203, where the team worked diligently to address her immediate needs and support her throughout her hospital stay.

Despite being unable to visit her mother in the hospital, Jo still felt supported by these UHDB colleagues who were caring for her mother. As soon as she contacted the ward to explain the situation, Jo said the team were compassionate and reassuring and their communication was “fantastic” while they explored how her mother could be alongside her father while she safely received care at home.

She said: “They really helped at such a difficult time - telling me to focus on looking after my dad while they were doing everything they could to look after mum while this situation was going on. It just meant so much.

“Once they were able to get Mum home to be with Dad while giving her the care she needed - our final days together were the most precious we’ve ever had, and it gives us all such comfort to know that they’re together now.”

Charlotte Kawalek, a member of the Dementia Team who played a key role in getting Mo home, spoke on the importance of their work: "We ‘just do our job’, but moments like this where you can see the impact it's had is so special. To support Jo and her parents at what was an especially vulnerable period is incredibly meaningful, and fulfilling her wish to have them safely side-by-side was so special."