Garden House Hospice Care director recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours for COVID-19 efforts

Jayne has been recognised for her dedication and compassion, particularly in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with a British Empire Medal.

This award marks Jayne’s services to palliative care, she is described as “an outstandingly dedicated, compassionate and experienced professional who wealth of expertise in palliative care is highly respect by peers and colleagues in the hospice community”.

On receiving the award, Jayne said: “Thank you, I am honoured to be awarded a British Empire Medal by Crown in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for contribution to the coronavirus response.I would never have expected to receive a reward for the work that I do and love every day as the director of patient services at Garden House Hospice Care, even in the most unprecedented of times. The award is a testament to the staff and volunteers at Garden House Hospice Care who have worked so hard to make this happen.

“The coronavirus has highlighted the work that hospices do and have been doing across the country to support their community and the wider health and social care system.”

Her nomination states: “During the pandemic, Jayne has demonstrated exceptional leadership, ensuring staff remain focussed on shared organisational values, identity and purpose.

“She also ensured hospice patients, at home and in the in-patient unit, have received the best care. She has initiated collaboration with care homes, delivering specialist education and patient support, and has directed rapid retraining and redeployment of non-clinical hospice staff to the frontline, increasing the hospice’s specialist offer to the NHS. In parallel to this innovation, she led the team who secured Garden House’s outreach services, supporting children and families, and those isolated, lonely and frail.”

Jayne, 54 from Rushden, is described in the honours list as a “first class communicator and an innovator in terms of procedure”.