A hospice has been nominated for an award for the emergency care it provided during the Covid pandemic.

The Covid Capacity Support Scheme at ellenor hospice in Northfleet has been shortlisted for a Health Service Journal award.

ellenor's Linda Coffey speaks about the care they provided

From April 2020, the hospice has been working with Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Health Care Partnership Team (DGS HCP) within Kent and Medway NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Supportive Care UK (SCUK).

The hospice, which looks after adults and children across Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley, provided “step-down care” and end-of-life care to patients with Covid whose prognosis may have been complicated by other chronic health problems such as frailty or dementia.

The partnership enabled the hospice to save a total of 1,509 NHS hospital bed days, with 339 patients admitted during the project, more than 100 being step-down patients from Darent Valley Hospital.

The project “broke rules that didn’t exist” by ensuring patients had access to the necessary expertise beyond the walls of the hospice, with an end goal of avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions.

The hospice doubled its bed capacity overnight to ensure it supported the local health economy in the challenges of the pandemic.

In addition, ellenor continued to provide inpatient palliative care, and staff continued to go above and beyond to help their patients.

Among those who will be forever grateful for that help during the pandemic is the family of Ivor Bartholomew, from Dartford, who spent his last weeks at the hospice.

Ivor was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer which then spread to his liver, back and lungs.

Because of Covid restrictions, Ivor could only have four family members visit him during his time at the hospice last year. But when he told the hospice staff he wanted to have one last outing to one of his favourite places with all of his family, they did everything they could to make it happen.

Everyone from the medical and wellbeing teams to the catering and transport staff pulled out all the stops to make sure Ivor and 13 family members had a day out at Crayford dog track.

When Ivor was told he might not be able to go because he wouldn’t manage sitting in a wheelchair for a long period of time, the hospice team spent time acclimatising Ivor to the wheelchair and finding comfortable sitting positions.

Occupational therapist Claire Dudbridge.said: “The whole ellenor team worked to make the special day at the races happen.

"The doctors ordered special medication that could be taken off site to allow his pain to be managed.

"Ward nurses and health care assistants ensured he was ready early; he had all medications ready along with all paperwork needed for the day.

"The catering team ensured breakfast was served early so he had something to eat before he went.

"The admin team helped to arrange a volunteer driver, who gave up his day for us.”

She added: "Ivor had so much fun that he managed to last a staggering six hours out in his wheelchair that day, which for him was like climbing Everest.”

Ivor lived with his brother Ken and Vera in Dartford for 15 years before being admitted to the hospice.

His sister in-law Vera said: “We are so grateful to everyone at the hospice for the care they gave Ivor. I didn't realise the extent they go to help their patients until we experienced it ourselves.

"They adjusted visiting times so my husband could visit around his job, gave Ivor all the ice-cream he wanted and pulled out all the stops to make sure his last dreams came true and he got to say his goodbyes to all his family."

Ivor’s wish list also included holding a snake so the hospice team managed to get two snakes to his bedside – along with a bearded dragon.

Ivor died in December last year, just a few days after his 56th birthday.

ellenor has been shortlisted for the Health Service Journal award for Best Not for Profit Working in Partnership with the NHS and will find out if they have won at a ceremony on March 24.

Linda Coffey, ellenor’s director of care, said: “Our staff unanimously embraced the challenges of providing care and support to patients and families regardless of their diagnosis. At the end of the day, a patient is a patient, a family is a family who just need care and support.

"It is a wonderful recognition for all staff and supporters of the hospice in our ongoing efforts to enhance our services for our local community.”