The team that go the extra mile

A community health team that helps patients with complex health needs, sometimes at the end of their life, has received a prestigious award from the Motor Neurone Disease Association after being nominated by a member of the public.

John Prosser, aged 53 from Burry Port, nominated Hywel Dda Health Board’s Carmarthenshire Continuing Care Team for the Extra Mile Award after they cared for his wife Noreen in the final months of her life.

John said: “Nothing was too much trouble for this team and they would always think ‘outside the box’. They would regularly work past their allocated time if required. They even stayed with Noreen when I was admitted to hospital as an emergency case, until alternative care could be arranged, even though this meant working extra hours without warning.”

John, who works for insurance company Gladiator in Swansea, said each member of the team went the extra mile in getting to know Noreen as a person and not just a patient.

“Each of the nurses had a very human approach; they spent much time getting to know Noreen and shared a rapport with her,” he said.

“I can’t list every act of kindness – it varied from the gentle way they provided medical care to the little touches like painting her nails and sharing stories with her. She told me they made her feel valued as a person again and for that I will always be very grateful. They also provided me with a great deal of help and comfort.”

Noreen, who was married to John for 24 happy years, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) two years ago at the age of 46. “It was devastating for us,” said John, “I had recently recovered from a heart attack and we were looking forward to an extended holiday in Australia. She became unwell and at first we thought she may have had a stroke. She was diagnosed with MND in November 2007 and in July 2008 had to have a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) fitted in order to assist her with eating and drinking. I had to give up work in order to care for her full-time but in September we finally accepted support from this new team. We were reluctant at first but since day one didn’t look back, they were so good.”

The Continuing Care Team was set-up in September 2008 to provide packages of care in the community for patients eligible for continuing health care. These patients  have complex and ongoing health needs, caused by an accident disability or chronic illness or following hospital treatment.

CCT Manager Sarah Nicholas said: “The team are delighted to have received this award, particularly as the nomination came from someone who has been in direct contact with the service. It is very rewarding to know that the service is having a direct and positive impact on patient’s lives, allowing them a high quality of care within their own home.”
 
MND is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks the upper and lower motor neurones.  Degeneration of the motor neurones leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing increasing loss of mobility in the limbs, and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing.

Early symptoms can be quite slight, such as clumsiness, mild weakness or slightly slurred speech, all of which can be attributed to other reasons. It can be some time before someone feels necessary to see his or her GP.

The Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association is the only national organisation in the UK dedicated to the support of people with MND and those who care for them. The charity works to help people with MND secure the care and support they need, while promoting research into causes, treatments and a cure.
Glynne Jones from the South West Wales Branch of the MND Association said: “Our Extra Mile Awards have been created to recognise the exceptional support from professionals working in the NHS and social services – people who are pulling out all the stops for families living with MND.
“On behalf of the MND Association, we would like to thank the Continuing Care Team for their commitment, care and compassion to John and Noreen. The dedicated team made a huge difference and are continuing to make a difference to the families affected by MND in our region.”
For more information on MND or the Association, please visit www.mndassociation.org .

Source: Hywel Dda Health Board