“It’s about getting to know a person and finding out what matters and is important to them”: Recognising the work of our incredible Weldmar doctors

To mark International Doctors’ Day we’re speaking with Dr Helen Parsons, Lead Consultant at Weldmar Hospicecare, about her role and what it means to her to provide care for our patients and their loved ones.

After initially training as a GP, Helen took a six month job in palliative care thirty years ago and fell in love with the specialty. She has been part of the team at Weldmar for the past 22 years, and is based at our Inpatient Unit in Dorchester.

What does your role as Lead Consultant involve?

“There’s a great variety, and no two days are the same. I work with patients who are here at the Inpatient Unit, and that involves lots of conversations with them and their families and some quite complex decision making. I’ll assess difficult symptoms such as pain or shortness of breath. I also help to support and advise other teams who provide care to patients, such as our Specialist Hospice at Home service out in the community.

“I have a large leadership role, which involved things like designing and setting up clinical governance systems to ensure the safety of our patients. I also do some teaching, both one to one and in groups.”

What is unique about being a consultant at a hospice like Weldmar?

“Palliative care is quite different to other branches of medicine, as it’s not about finding a cure. It’s about getting to know a person and finding out what matters and what is important to them, and the key thing is trying to help them lead as good a life in a time of great uncertainty. Keeping symptoms under control keeps you on your feet medically speaking, but it’s also about lots of conversations. Listening to people, making sure they feel heard and understood, and supporting families – so lots of holistic support as well as through medicine.

“I’m really proud of the medical team we’ve developed here at Weldmar. We have a group of thoughtful, supportive clinicians, supported by two amazing Advanced Nurse Practitioners. There’s a range of experience and personalities across the team, and we care deeply about our patients and each other.

“A lot has changed in the thirty years I have been in palliative care. Cases are becoming more complex, and patients may have multiple conditions going on at once. Also, people want more information and to take a much closer role in the decision making than they used to, which is a change for the good. The essence of what we do is the same though – listening, taking our time, and doing our best for each individual patient.

“I can’t imagine doing anything else after thirty years, and it’s certainly more than a job. It can be difficult, but every day you come away with a sense of what’s important. It feels like a privilege because you see a lot of human strength and resilience, which really stays with you.”

Pictured top: Dr Helen Parsons alongside trainee GP (ST1) Luke Martin and Specialty Doctor, Matt Coffin, at Weldmar’s Inpatient Unit in Dorchester. Pictured middle: Dr Paul Barker speaks with a patient.