First for Hospice

Bondholder Treetops Hospice Care is the first adult hospice in the country to be awarded Makaton-friendly status.

Makaton is a unique language programme which uses signs and symbols alongside speech, to enable people with difficulties to communicate and be understood. It is used by more than 100,000 children and adults in the UK.

The award follows training for Treetops clinical staff and volunteers as well as the introduction of Makaton symbols to public-facing areas across the hospice. Plans are now in place to roll out further training and awareness to all staff based at the hospice in Risley as well as Hospice at Home nurses caring for patients at the end of life in their own homes during the day and at night.

“Being the first Makaton-friendly adult hospice in the country is an amazing achievement. Our staff and volunteers have worked hard to make this happen and I’m delighted by the response we have had from everyone across the organisation to make this a success”, declared Ali Jordan, senior staff nurse in the Treetops Wellbeing Space.

Treetops provides nursing care and emotional support for adults with life limiting conditions, those who’ve been bereaved, and their loved ones, living in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Their services include Support and Information, Wellbeing Space, Hospice at Home nurses and Therapeutic Services including counselling, art therapy and complementary therapy.

Ali added: “We know Makaton is vital for some people with communication or learning difficulties but it has also been used successfully with people who acquire a brain injury or suffer a stroke in later life.

“We want to be accessible to anyone with a life limiting condition who needs our help and support and any Makaton user coming through our doors for the first time should be reassured that we will all do our best to communicate in a way that’s familiar to them.

“We want to add a special thanks to Derbyshire County Council Public Health who awarded us a grant of £1,000 to pay for the initial training and Eg (Training) Ltd for helping us with this amazing achievement.”