Meet Dr Lisa

How long have you worked at St Oswald’s Hospice? 

26 years.  

What is your role and what does a typical day (if there’s such a thing) look like for you? 

My role has recently changed after 26 years of working on the Adult Inpatient Unit. I would now describe myself as a “clinical academic”, which is a great balance between staying in touch with patients, their families and pursuing my research interests.  

I also work with 2 other Occupational Therapists, Lily and Lisa. I’m really enjoying supporting them as their clinical supervisor. We have lots of new ideas for the Occupational Therapy team to develop.  

I have funding from the Elizabeth Casson Trust to fund my current research project and the Trust have recently funded a “Pump Priming” Research Grant to develop a new research proposal that will allow me to follow my research interest in supporting patients and their families using non-invasive ventilation at home.  

I also have a diploma in clinical hypnosis, so I have a really interesting job! 

How do you involve patients and their families in setting goals for occupational therapy? 

Occupational therapists support people with their important occupations – these are unique to each person because they are the things that the individual needs and wants to do. So, the person is always at the centre of our assessment and treatment goals. Occupations can involve everyday activities, for example, washing and dressing but can also include roles, hobbies, relationships, work and sleep.  

What strategies do you use to help patients maintain their independence and quality of life? 

The obvious answer is providing equipment to support patients when they are discharged home, for example, a profiling bed or grab rails.  

However, my role is really varied. I might be helping someone overcome anxiety so they can use a ventilation mask or designing a bespoke hand splint to allow a person to feed themselves independently, or helping them dress such as a gadget that pulls up trousers for those who can’t use their arms or hands. 

I also work with patients who are experiencing problems managing their oral secretions when their swallowing issues, often related to neurological conditions. That might involve using hypnosis to manage the symptoms or looking at managing the problem and reducing the impact of their symptoms on their occupations. 

Could you tell us a bit about your motor neurone disease (MND) research work? 

I have been funded by The Elizabeth Casson Trust for the “MND-OT Study”. The study is looking at the decision-making processes that lead to the premature withdrawal of important occupations in Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and what occupational therapy interventions could be used to help support patients. 

I also work closely with the Motor Neurone Disease Care & Research Centre and The North East Assisted Ventilation Service at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle Upon Tyne.  

I’m so grateful for the ongoing guidance from these teams – they have been instrumental in helping to make a real difference for our patients. 

What has been the most rewarding experience for you as an occupational therapist at the hospice?  

That’s a really tricky question but I think arranging glider flights for patients with MND or fossil hunting at Shotton would be up there.  

Could you describe hospice care in three words? 

First class care.