EDUCATION is improving end-of-life care for hundreds of seriously ill people and their families, thanks to a Dorset charity.

The longest-serving nurse at the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust is also responsible for leading training programmes to staff at the charity and out in the community.

Lead education facilitator Mary Pay describes palliative care as ‘allowing people to get on with life and lead the life they’ve got left with symptoms controlled’.

Another important aspect is supporting patients’ families during the time of illness and beyond with the offer of bereavement services.

Mary said: “The most important thing is that this organisation and organisations like it can make a huge amount of difference for people coming to the end of their lives and can also provide a lot of help and support for patients’ families.

“All our nurses have received a lot of advanced education on palliative care, our clinical nurse specialists have all got extra qualifications over and above ordinary nursing qualifications to do the job.

“Education of the general public, nursing homes and other health care providers in palliative care can only improve the quality at the end of life for all of us.

“I feel very strongly about that we must try and achieve it.”

Mary joined the charity 19 years ago as a specialist nurse, when it was West Dorset Macmillan service based in cabins in Edward Road, Dorchester.

Over the years her role changed and she also worked part-time as a lecturer practitioner at Bournemouth University.

When Weldmar needed a full-time education facilitator, Mary took up the post and is now based at Hammick House in Poundbury.

She works on behalf of the charity to provide advanced training for Weldmar’s clinical nurse specialists at the Trimar Day Hospice and Joseph Weld Hospice, as well as general training to community district nurses and care assistants in nursing homes. Next month she will organising Weldmar’s 18th annual conference at Kingston Maurward College for 100 delegates including local GPs, hospital doctors and district nurses on this year’s theme of palliative care for breast cancer patients.

Mary added: “In an organisation like this delivering education does and can make a difference to improving the end of life for a lot of people, not just those with specialist needs but general palliative care.

“I work with an amazing group of people at Weldmar and that’s a tremendous reward in itself.”

How you can help KIND-HEARTED Echo readers have helped the Show Them You Care campaign to raise £5,032.20 since the appeal was launched on February 28.

But there is a long way to go to hit the target needed for Weldmar to pay for a community nurse for a year plus all of their support and expenses.

Donate online at www.justgiving.com/weldmarnurse or send cheques payable to ‘The Weldmar Hospicecare Trust’ to the Dorset Echo offices at Fleet House, Hampshire Road, Weymouth, DT4 9XD We would also like to hear your stories of how Weldmar has helped you.

Call Laura Kitching on 01305 830984.