Hamilton Advertiser

Hospice getting ready for in-patient opening

Recruitmen­t drive is on

- Staff reporter

Kilbryde Hospice is on a recruitmen­t drive as they gear up for the opening of their in-patient facility.

The charity is looking to welcome new faces and an event for registered nurses and nursing assistants was held at the Hairmyres-based hospice earlier this week.

And current Kilbryde staff were also on hand to welcome potential in-patient volunteers.

Last December it was revealed that bosses would be able to utilise the Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Wing for in-patient palliative care services. It is named in memory of Bothwell mum-of-three Donna, who died from skin cancer in 2011, aged just 39.

The hospice currently provides day, care at home and counsellin­g services from its base which opened in January 2015.

However, the new unit will allow staff to provide 24-7 care for up to 12 patients at a time.

No opening date has been set but clinical services manager Margaret Mary Cowan is preparing for a busy few months.

“Kilbryde Hospice is currently working hard to recruit the appropriat­e staff and volunteers to support the opening of the Donna Mortimer Ballantyne in-patient unit,” she said.

“We are achieving this in partnershi­p with NHS Lanarkshir­e and the South Lanarkshir­e health and social care partnershi­p.

“Kilbryde Hospice will update the public when the recruitmen­t process has been finalised.”

Donna spent years warning people of the danger of sunbeds after being diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2002 and being given just four weeks to live.

However, after travelling to the United States for specialist treatment, she was able to fight her cancer for a further nine years.

Visit kilbrydeho­spice.org.uk and jobs.scot.nhs.uk for more on job openings within the facility.

 ??  ?? Future Hospice staff and supporters outside the Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Wing
Future Hospice staff and supporters outside the Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Wing

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