St Barnabas Hospice supports young professionals studying at Lincoln Medical School

As part of the charity’s developing education department and available resources to educate young professionals, the Hospice is celebrating the work they do with local medicine students and their ongoing partnership with Lincoln Medical School since its opening in 2018.

From January to September every year, each medicine student is provided with a one-week placement at St Barnabas, sitting in varying departments across the organisation. This experience, provided by the charity, forms part of the student’s studies to qualify as practising doctors.

Sarah Christoper, Head of Education Governance at St Barnabas Hospice, said: “St Barnabas works to give students a really fantastic placement experience.

“We have a designated Placement Lead and multiple members of staff who coordinate students, ensure their placement experience runs smoothly and is something really special”.

All clinical staff at St Barnabas undertake practice supervisor education. This is regularly updated by both the University of Lincoln and St Barnabas to ensure Hospice staff have the skills to educate and support the students.

Sarah continued: “Palliative and end-of-life care at St Barnabas is largely focused on delivering person-centred care with an emphasis on spiritual and psychological care as well as symptom management.

“Students have the opportunity to gain a real insight into this area of medicine. A huge part of palliative and end-of-life care is advanced communication, and students have a chance to begin to hone their communication strategies in challenging circumstances.”

Harriet Francis, a medicine student at Lincoln Medical School, detailed her placement role: “Our work here at St Barnabas has involved ward rounds, advanced care planning, admissions, discharges and seeing the work they do within the hospital for palliative care”.

Zainah Sindhoo, a medicine student at Lincoln Medical School, said: “The part I enjoyed the most about working at St Barnabas is the community and environment that the charity creates, which is very supportive and uplifting.

“Seeing how everyone works in a team and works with patients is something I really enjoyed, alongside being a part of the spirit that St Barnabas brings to the care they provide.”

Dr Carina Bristow and Dr Adam Brown are two of the staff members dedicated to planning and providing education for medical students.

Dr Brown said: “Having the students here is really enjoyable, and they form a big part of my personal interest in teaching and education.

“I think it’s really important that we provide a good placement for them so they can gain more experience in what palliative care is and improve their ability to work in this field in the future.”

St Barnabas Hospice is proud to continue supporting part of the education and training of Lincoln Medical School students in hospice care.

Sarah Christopher said: “It is wonderful that due to the placement experience we are able to provide at St Barnabas, some of the students may choose to work in this area of medicine when they qualify.

“No matter what area of medicine they choose in the future, hospice care is a fundamental principle that is often forgotten. Caring for people at the end of life is a humbling experience.”

To find out more about St Barnabas and the care and support they provide to over 12,000 people and families across Lincolnshire every year, please visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/.