AUDIO
In 1969 Dr Mary Baines, a GP who had trained in medicine at St Thomas’ Hospital with Cicely and worked locally to the hospice before joining the staff, began the first home care service with Barbara McNulty, a nursing sister based on Alex Ward.
It was following the death of an inpatient, who had requested to go home but whose medication had been stopped by her local GP who feared she’d become addicted.
This meant her pain had become so intolerable, she’d returned to the hospice and died there. It was a problem that could have been avoided, had the GP had a shift in attitude and awareness and not withheld the medication. Cicely decided that something had to change.
This led to research and the creation of a model; the first in the UK to outline how hospice care would work in the community.
Its implementation was a huge success, and now, on any one night, St Christopher’s supports around 1,300 people in their homes and care homes.
Last year alone, staff from the hospice made 14,237 visits to people’s homes.
Below you’ll find a letter from Dame Cicely to Mary Baines, in which she outlines her vision for extending care beyond the walls of the hospice.
RESOURCES
The items below will require an internet connection (WiFi, 3G or 4G)
VIEW
Letter from Dame Cicely Saunders to Mary Baines from 1967
WATCH
As part of the St Christopher’s Oral History Project, hear from Dr Mary Baines on how Home Care started at the Hospice.