Sharon shares her experiences as an interviewer

During phase one of the Listen Learn Adapt process the Hospice’s people have been asking the community about their experience of end-of-life care, death, dying and bereavement.

These in-depth interviews provided many insights, revealing experiences, which the Hospice can find inspiration from to help shape its new model.

Sharon Place was one of our interviewers, she explains: “I feel lucky to have been involved in the interview process and workshops for the Listen Learn Adapt process.

“Coming from Finance, I’ve never done anything like this before and it was completely out of my comfort zone but I was interested in the project and was pleased to be asked to take part.

“At first I felt as if I was prying but everyone was so easy to talk to. It was tough at times listening to very emotional stories particularly when things they said resonated with my own experiences.

“It’s been lovely to hear some of the ways people talk about their contact with the Hospice, with interesting descriptions such as being ‘at the centre of a beehive of care’ and ‘everything in my experience has been tickety boo’ or ‘coming here lifts me for a few days’ and you ‘fit in here, you’re not looked at differently.’

“It must have been hard for these people to have recounted their story to us and it was a humbling experience to listen to them.

“I was surprised how little some GPs and other organisations seem to know about the services the Hospice offers but I have also learnt more about the Hospice through this process.

“It has reaffirmed my belief that the staff here do a fantastic job.”