A Day in the Life of a Clinical Administration Team Lead

Maria is one of the Leads of Phyllis Tuckwell’s Clinical Administration team. She works at both the Beacon Centre, supporting the Hospice Care at Home (HCAH) team, and the Hospice, as part of the Advice & Referral Team (ART).

“I get a real sense of purpose from my job and find it very rewarding. I joined the team in 2017, as ART was being established, and was involved in its initial development. I now also work with our HCAH team, who care for patients who have chosen to die at home. The team is based at the Beacon Centre and I really enjoy working there. We all support each other and I love  being part of such a friendly team. As well as the day-to-day management of the team, I support all team members individually through 1:1s and appraisals, and also interview and train new staff. I manage the rota to ensure that we have enough staff across both sites to support our clinical colleagues on the In-Patient Unit, and in Living Well, HCAH and therapies. Telephone support is a vital part of my role and I am often the first person that our patients, relatives and carers speak to when they ring us for support.

I’m really passionate about ensuring that they all receive high-quality care every time they contact us, in all of the support we provide. Along with millions of other Muslims, I observed Ramadan in April. Ramadan is a really special time for Muslims; to me, it is a time of reflection which enables me to connect more deeply with my faith. I found it really heartwarming that the Pastoral Care team at Phyllis Tuckwell had created a display to explain it to other staff who might not know much about it. They had also put a page about Ramadan on our intranet, and asked me if I would like to write something about what the festival and Eid, which follows it, mean to me. During Ramadan, from dawn to sunset, Muslims abstain from all forms of food and drink (including water). Everyone was so supportive and considerate, and made it easier for me by making slight adjustments to my working pattern, and I really appreciated it. Ramadan tests both my discipline and my faith, because my work colleagues all know that I will often talk about what I’m going to have for lunch at 9am! It isn’t just about giving up food and drink though – it’s about emptying your stomach to feed your soul. For me, it’s a time to reflect and be grateful for all the blessings I have been given.”