A dedicated hospice director has left the charity after more than a decade of duty.

Patient services director Jane Sutherland, from Kent, is moving to new pastures after calling time on her role at Saint Francis Hospice.

Jane, who was responsible for an 18 bed inpatient unit, a day therapy unit and hospice community services, is taking time out before deciding her next career move.

The director’s tenure has seen a dramatic increase in the number of patients, families and carers supported by the Havering-atte-Bower hospice.

Jane said at her leaving party: “I have had the privilege of working with an exemplary clinical heads team - quite honestly the best I have ever worked with.”

Jane was also in charge of a crisis support service for GPs and health professionals, which provides 24-hour care to those with life-limiting illnesses, as well as a hospice at home service for those choosing to spend their last days at home.

Hospice director Dr Corinna Midgley said: “Jane has championed education to ensure that our hospice care reaches far beyond the patients we see and care for ourselves because our teaching and training now regularly equips others with the skills they need to be confident in their care of people with advanced illness.

“We will all really miss Jane but will treasure having worked with her and her legacy.”

Saint Francis inpatient unit manager, Sue Lakey, added: “Jane’s visionary and she’s so good at managing change.

“Jane is one of those people who is able to empower the teams working under her to adopt new ways of working. When she first came here in 2004 she became a role model for me despite the fact that at that time I had already been working at the hospice for 11 years.”

Jane will be replaced by Tes Smith, who has been appointed as the hospice’s new interim director of patient services.

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