60 seconds with... Chris Farnham
What’s your role and how long have you worked at Barts Health?
I have been here for almost three years as a Palliative Medicine Consultant in the Hospital and Waltham Forest Community –but my first encounter with the Margaret Centre was as a Registrar ‘acting up’ when Dr Tate left... 19 years ago!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I am so lucky to be able to see patients at home and in hospital. It somehow gives a much richer picture seeing someone at home with what matters to them such as pets or family. Getting to know what makes someone ’tick’ and having the time to really sort out some problems gives me great satisfaction – I suppose it was a rather unfashionable term of ‘helping’ others that made me want to become a doctor and hope I never lose that .
What is the most rewarding aspect of your role?
I work with a team that share the same values as myself – that is so important – this matters when we are all trying to get a patient home to die, for example – the focus is the patient and their loved ones and a common recognition that we can’t have another go at this, we have to get it right for them. Having good relationships with teams in the hospital as well as GPs, District Nurses and the Rapid Response Team helps pave the way to better outcomes.
What challenges do you face in your role?
Working in a system that isn’t always insync with what we want to get done for our patients – so delays in getting people home, long trolley waits when people are dying or lack of medication when people need it. These are things that many people are trying hard to rectify, but it takes time and that is hard and frustrating. There are some great initiatives locally, and we have made huge strides in the EPiC team in Waltham Forest, such as going out to sit with patients and provide care at home. The feedback we’ve had from families has been very positive!
How does the Margaret Centre provide palliative care for patients?
Whipps Cross has a very valuable asset in the Margaret Centre, as not all hospitals have dedicated palliative care beds. We are lucky that we can provide 24 hour care to patients who need symptom control, respite or end of life care.
The value of being a part of Whipps Cross is that we can use the services of the hospital and move patients easily to get access to Specialist Palliative Care. We only have 11 beds and making sure that there is a bed for patients when they need it is a challenge, but it happens! In the Centre we have specialist nurses and doctors, social work and Occupational therapy. We have an excellent Complimentary Therapy service for patients and their carers, as well as the Psychological Support Therapies Team. Finally, we are lucky to have the Waltham Forest Community Specialist Palliative Care Team based in the Centre who go out and support patients, families, district nurses and GP practices.
Can you explain how the Margaret Centre is valuable to patients and their families?
The teams that work here support patients and their families, often when they are at their most vulnerable . The palliative approach involves looking at care from four different perspectives –physical, social, psychological and spiritual. Taking the lead from the patient, we try to look at what they want us to help with, and make suggestions where we feel things could change. It is often a time of rapid change, so working to make sure that everyone understands what is happening and what is expected can be hard. When someone dies, the team will also contact those who were close to the patient ensuring that any complex grief is not ignored, but supported.
It’s Dying Matters Week 13 May-17 May. What does this mean to you?
It’s strange how those of us who work with the dying often neglect to think about our own deaths. This week is an opportunity to think about what we would and wouldn’t want when our turn comes around, as well as being there to talk to others about what death and dying means to them and how they can prepare. There are many events happening this week both in Waltham Forest, in Barts Health hospitals, on TV and radio. Take a look on the website Dying Matters there are some really inspiring video clips!