Download Resilience: a framework supporting hospice staff to flourish in stressful times.
About this publication
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In 2013, Hospice UK sought to respond to the findings of the Commission into the Future of Hospice Care by commissioning The Point of Care Foundation to examine research into the experience of hospice staff and volunteers and strategies to support them in their work. We know that caring for patients in hospices is difficult and emotionally challenging and that staff need support to cope with the associated stress. Staff wellbeing, ie the level of staff engagement with their organisation and the degree to which they experience themselves as stressed, matters. It affects the quality and safety of patient care and is key to ensuring patients receive good, compassionate care. This report presents the evidence specifically related to hospices.
The report provides a checklist and framework to help hospice leaders and managers to assess strategies for supporting staff and to devise their own. The framework describes the range of interventions available for leaders to respond to the two different types of stress: that associated with organisational life, management and organisational change, some of which can be prevented or significantly reduced; and the stress that comes with caring for patients at the end of their lives and supporting those closest to them. The second type of stress is unavoidable but it is still possible to help staff to be more resilient and better able to cope.
We recommend that senior leaders use the checklist to inform strategies to ensure a healthy and resilient workforce and that boards receive annual reports on its use.
Authors
This report was written and researched by Joanna Goodrich, Head of Evaluation and Learning at The Point of Care Foundation, Tony Harrison, Independent Researcher, and Jocelyn Cornwell, Chief Executive of The Point of Care Foundation. The Point of Care Foundation acknowledges the contribution of Marie Cooper, Practice Development Lead at, Hospice UK, and Heather Richardson, Joint Chief Executive of St Christopher’s Hospice and formerly National Clinical Lead at Hospice UK, who provided the hospice perspective.
