New Myton head targets community and home services

Last autumn former chief executive Gill Young handed over the reins after 12 years at the helm and under her guidance the hospice expanded to three sites and provide a wide range of facilities and treatments for patients.

She has moved on to the south west, and taking her place is Ms Lee, who brings with her a wealth of experience after being director of strategy with the British Red Cross, although admits it is a daunting challenge.

She said: “It has been fantastic so far, it’s going really well.

“It’s an incredible organisation.

“I didn’t come from a nursing or palliative care background as Gill Young did. I was the British Red Cross director of strategy so have experience of charities and so on but this is definitely a new challenge.

“There’s a lot to take on and to learn but everyone has been so incredible, the welcome has been brilliant.”

The mother-of-two, who joined the hospice on December 1, is originally from Yorkshire, but after living in Ryton-on-Dunsmore for the past 12 years, which have included both her children being born at Warwick Hospital, she feels very at home in the area, and has big plans for Myton Hospices.

“There are quite a few things we’d like to look at. We are planning for the next three years, and will be talking to lots of people about what they would like to see happen at Myton,” she explained.

“We’ve got patient choice at the heart of what Myton does but I think we should start thinking more about community and home based services, to give people more choice at the end of their lives.

“We also want to help people know Myton does a lot more than just end of life care.

“There’s a perception that we are just beds that people die in, but we have a day hospice, help people with pain or advice and all sorts of things.

“We want to reassure people that we work with a lot of people, only 40 per cent come for end of life care. We don’t want people to be anxious about coming here.

“I think at this stage we are not planning any more buildings, although never say never.

“I think if Myton expands that it should be more with help and home schemes, and to give people more and more advice.

“Lots of people don’t need to come into Myton. Why would you want to die in a strange bed at Myton, albeit in lovely surroundings, when you could in your own bed?

“And of course, it’s also crucial that we are able to continue to get people’s fantastic support.”

Since its inception Myton has grown to have not just the hospice in Warwick, but also branches in Coventry and Rugby, 15 charity shops, and an annual turnover of £8 million.