Jamie Mayers is the Medical Director at Ashgate Hospice and has been leading our Inpatient Unit since February 2024. In her role, Jamie oversees the delivery of specialist palliative and end of life care to adults with complex needs. 

In this blog post, she reflects on how the Inpatient Unit supports patients, while working alongside healthcare professionals and services across North Derbyshire to help meet increasing demands on the wider health and care system.

It has been an absolute pleasure to work as Medical Director on the Inpatient Unit at Ashgate Hospice for more than a year now. During that time, I’ve seen first-hand how our team’s work not only transforms care for patients and the people important to them but also plays a crucial role in supporting the wider healthcare system in North Derbyshire. 

The Inpatient Unit at Ashgate provides short-term specialist palliative and end of life care for adults with life-limiting or incurable illnesses. With just 15 beds available, demand is consistently high – which reflects the vital role we have in relieving pressure on services such as GPs, hospitals, community nursing teams and care homes. 

We’re here for patients whose level of need is beyond what can be managed in their current care setting – whether that’s at home, in hospital, or in a care home. This may be due to complex or distressing symptoms such as pain, breathlessness, nausea, or psychological distress. We also provide care for patients recognised to be in the last days to short weeks of life, particularly if their needs cannot be met where they are, or if Ashgate is their preferred place to die. 

By offering this care, we’re able to provide a much-needed alternative to hospital admission and help relieve pressure on community teams managing increasingly complex caseloads. We also work closely with hospital colleagues to support timely discharges for patients whose care would be better managed in a hospice environment. Admissions are reviewed daily and prioritised based on bed availability and clinical need. 

Our care is consultant-led, and delivered by an incredible team of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals with specialist knowledge in palliative and end of life care. We’re proud to provide round-the-clock care – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – and our recent CQC ‘Outstanding’ rating reflects the compassion, skill and professionalism of the team. 

We work closely with other hospice services, including the Single Point of Access, Community Clinical Nurse Specialists, Day Services and Supportive Care teams – many of whom are already involved in the patient’s care. This integration allows us to offer continuity and a coordinated response that benefits patients, the people important to them, and the health professionals supporting them. 

We’ve recognised that the demand for our care is increasing. To respond, we’ve introduced a Referrals Phone Line, held by a member of the medical team, allowing real-time clinical discussions with healthcare professionals and helping us make timely and informed decisions about admissions. We’re also moving towards routinely accepting weekend admissions, something we hope will further support colleagues across the system when patient needs change outside of usual working hours. 

It has been a privilege to be part of the Inpatient Unit during a period of such positive development. The dedication of the team in making these changes happen has been inspiring to witness. We’re proud to offer outstanding care not just to patients and those important to them, but to work in partnership with healthcare professionals across North Derbyshire to help meet the challenges we all face. 

We remain committed to supporting our local health and care system – and to being here for those who need us most.