Vaccination is 'a light at the end of the tunnel' hospice staff say
100 staff members at St Elizabeth Hospice have had their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine - Credit: Archant
St Elizabeth Hospice has had a milestone 100 staff members vaccinated, signalling a more hopeful start to 2021 for patients and families.
The staff vaccinations began on January 9 and one member to receive the vaccination is Sharron Cooper, community clinical nurse specialist at the hospice.
Sharron Cooper is a community clinical nurse specialist at St Elizabeth Hospice - Credit: St Elizabeth Hospice
She said: “After such a difficult year, it was a relief to receive the vaccine and it feels like a light at the end of the tunnel.
“I am so grateful that my colleagues and I are receiving the vaccine, as it provides us and our patients with extra reassurance.
"As anyone who works in healthcare will tell you, our main focus is the people we care for and this has not changed despite Covid-19.
“It certainly has seen us adapt the ways we deliver our care, to ensure safety against the virus, but at the heart of our work is people and this vaccination will strengthen our position to care for people in the safest way possible.”
During the pandemic the hospice has had front line staff tested twice a week for Covid and placed restrictions on family visits to see loved ones at the hospice’s inpatient unit in Ipswich.
Verity Jolly is director of patient services at St Elizabeth Hospice - Credit: Mike Kwasniak
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Verity Jolly, director of patient services, said she was so pleased staff have been able to receive their vaccinations from the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), in a positive step for the hospice and all who use its services.
She added: “The team have been magnificent in how they have adapted to the challenges posed by the pandemic in order to continue to support families and patients under our care.
“Throughout the last year we have stood united with the local community against coronavirus and as ever we are grateful for their support and hope this positive news is the start of much more as we move forward.”
Leading the Covid-19 vaccine roll out for ESNEFT is executive director Mike Meers, who said: “We are currently focussed on vaccinating health and care workers from more than 130 organisations in Suffolk and north east Essex, including St Elizabeth Hospice."
