MANORLANDS Hospice is opening its doors for a day to give people an idea of what its like to work in palliative care - and show how rewarding it can be.

The Sue Ryder charity is giving registered nurses and allied health professionals the chance on Wednesday, March 1 to look round the Oxenhope hospice, talk to staff and, if they are interested, even be interviewed for a job.

Staff at the hospice, which provides care for people across Craven, and is supported by fundraising groups, hope it will bust myths many people hold about the role of a hospice nurse.

Jenny Grayston, team leader at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, said: “People might expect that working in a hospice is really depressing and quiet, but it’s not at all – we’re a happy workforce and there’s actually a lot of laughter with patients and their relatives.

“There’s also a misconception that going into palliative care is for the end of your career and you just sit next to someone’s bedside and hold their hand. However, it is a true specialism focused on pain control, expert symptom management and psychological, social and emotional support.

"We’re very forward-thinking in terms of professional development and we encourage our nurses to learn new skills, take on academic qualifications and progress in their careers.”

Ward Manager, Michele Corcoran, hopes by opening the hospice doors many more people will see just what a rewarding career the specialist area of care offers.

She said: “Everyone at the hospice is so kind and welcoming and after almost 25 years of working as a nurse, when I joined the team in April last year it felt like coming home.

“Working in palliative care is so rewarding and it’s a privilege to be part of each patient’s unique journey. We have one chance to make a patient and their loved one’s experience the best it can be, and we aim to achieve this at every level by providing gold-standard holistic care.”

Tours of the hospice and inpatient unit, the chance to speak directly to staff already working in palliative care and the opportunity to be interviewed on the day will all be on offer alongside refreshments.

There will be two sessions on the open day on March 1, from 10am to midday and from 5pm to 7pm. More details, or to register at: sueryder.org/careersday or email healthcare.recruitment@sueryder.org