Captivating new film praised by hospital workers
‘Captivating’, ‘moving’ and ‘spellbinding’ are just some of words hospital workers used to describe a powerful new film created by East Kent Hospitals’ palliative care team, launched to mark Dying Matters Week (8-14 May). Watch the film here
‘Caring with Compassion’ follows a man in the last days of his life, and the experiences of his family, as a powerful reminder of the importance of seeing the person, not the patient.
The palliative care team worked closely with Flix Films to develop the script, cast actors (including guest appearances from east Kent staff) and sensitively shoot the film at William Harvey Hospital and other local locations.
Lucie Rudd, consultant nurse in palliative care said: “We are very proud of this film and delighted to start sharing it with our hospital colleagues and as a resource for colleagues across the NHS and our care partners.
“We know our human response is so important and we really want to encourage every member of hospital staff – it doesn’t matter who they are in the team – that they can actually make a big difference.”
Dr Chris Farnham, consultant in palliative medicine said: “We hope that the film reminds us all why we work here in hospital – to help care for our patients and their families. Caring with compassion is a very simple message but so important to everyone.”
Dee Neligan from East Kent Hospitals Charity, who generously funded the film, said: “We are delighted to have been able to fund this important and powerful film, and we trust that it will make a positive and significant impact on the hospital experience for patients, their families and staff.”
Leon Ancliffe, managing director of Flix Films, said: “We wanted to create a film that highlights the importance of compassion at the end of life and how a single moment can have a significant impact. We couldn’t be happier with the response to the film and thank you to all those whose support and kindness made it possible.”
Teams across the Trust are working to improve the experience of patients who die in our hospitals, and the critical care team was the first in the UK to introduce the 3 Wishes Project, granting ‘wishes’ to people at the end of their lives. The project started at WHH and has since been expanded to K&C and QEQM, and the team is now planning to introduce it to palliative care beds outside critical care.