'He didn't understand he was dying from cancer': Anonymous nurse reveals what her job is like
Dreaming of a new career? Each week, we speak to someone from a different profession to discover what it's really like.
Today, the Money team chats to an NHS learning disability nurse - we agreed to make them anonymous so they could provide an unfiltered view of the job.
I worked with a man with a severe learning disability who was dying of cancer... He didn't understand what this meant and just wanted to feel well and looked after. I worked with the oncologist, GP and local palliative care service to arrange a professionals meeting, advocating for the unique needs of this man.
We were able to arrange for him to be at his "best" health for one last holiday, before being supported into a planned palliative care community bed with staff he knew, where he was supported to die with dignity in minimal pain.
Without my support advocating on his behalf, he would have died in a hospital bed, without known staff, scared and alone, and would never have had the chance to have his last holiday. I will truly never forget him; it was humbling to be able to help in any way I could.
You start on £30,000... Entry-level nurses start at NHS pay band 5, which equates to £29,970 (rising to £36,483). Progression is, of course, possible through developing skills and expertise, with experienced senior nurses earning £50,000+.
The NHS pension is generous... Depending on salary, we can pay from 5-12% of our salary into pension, with the employer putting in 14.4% for all pensions. Pension and financial advice is also available to support retirement planning.
This job is so varied... Learning disability nurses work with people who have a learning disability (and with their families and carers) to help them stay as healthy as possible throughout their lives. I could be supporting someone to understand and manage their diabetes or other complex health issues, helping someone to safely express their emotions or any distress, or supporting with future planning, which could be related to dementia, or their end-of-life wishes, and all this just in one day.
A wide range of clinical skills is also required - including those relating to epilepsy, complex physical health, mental health, autism, forensic risk, dementia, and positive approaches to behavioural support.
The NHS is really good with flexible working... There are so many different jobs... it can really work for different lifestyles. I work part-time currently (four days). On holidays, you start with 27 days, and after 10 years, you have 32 (plus bank holidays on top).
One person I worked with had been in a hospital environment for 20 years... She described herself during that time as a flower that hadn't been watered. One of the most rewarding parts of the job is helping people to move back to their local area and live in community settings, ensuring the best support is available to maintain this. After successfully moving out of hospital, the woman later described herself as like a garden full of beautiful flowers in full bloom.
If I could change one thing, it would be for people to know who we are... Learning disability nurses have the same clinical skills as other branches of nursing registrants but it is a lesser-known specialism and few people understand what we do. This means that fewer people enrol to be a learning disabilities nurse, making vacancies harder to fill.
People with learning disabilities often have communication needs, anxieties, past negative experiences or other barriers to accepting help... As learning disability nurses, we pause, reflect and then try again using adapted and creative approaches to meet individuals' specific needs.
Learning disability support does not get enough funding... this is a fundamental requirement if we are to support individuals to lead longer, happier and healthier lives.
Capacity is always an issue... with increased demand being placed on services. Similarly, challenges in social care provision often have an impact on people's health and wellbeing, and, as a result, pressure on health services increases.
There is also often a reliance on families and care providers to implement recommendations that have been made, which can prove challenging, as is ensuring that appropriate levels of support are in place. There continues to be inequitable access to healthcare generally, which learning disability nurses are instrumental in challenging to improve health outcomes for those with a learning disability.
Laughter and smiles are more common than tears... when working with people who have a learning disability!
One of my most memorable success stories... was supporting a young lady who needed eye surgery due to her failing eyesight. Initially, this lady declined surgery, but by using accessible information, she was able to understand why surgery was important and the impact that not having this could have on her quality of life.
We discussed her fears, undertook some desensitisation work, and I worked with the hospital teams to make sure that her fears were listened to, and that adjustments to her treatment plan were made too. The operation was a success, and the lady regained some of her sight.
A common misconception... is that people who have a learning disability are not able to learn new skills and are not able to make their own choices. With the right support, individuals are more than able to achieve positive change and have their voice heard.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE EXPOSED: How restaurants are lying to you about their hygiene ratings. STEVE BOGGAN'S investigation reveals the shocking truth about those green stickers - and exactly what the owners had to say when confronted
Are you from food hygiene? It was an odd question to be asked, but 46-year-old restaurateur Sameh Houeidi seemed anxious to know. I was looking at the official hygiene rating sticker on the window of his Lebanese restaurant near Aldgate in London.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Starmer goes all in on NHS with PM set to hand health service £30bn spending boost at expense of other public services
Sir Keir Starmer will pump money into the NHS at the expense of other public services. The government is putting all its eggs in one basket as it lines up the Department for Health for a £30billion cash boost at next week's spending review. However, health chiefs have warned the prime minister's promise to 'turbocharge delivery' could lead to difficult compromises elsewhere in services from the police to councils. It comes after the party's unexpected victory in the Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse by-election - though as the threat of Nigel Farage 's Reform UK still looms large. The Department for Health will be handed an increase of around £200billion to its budget by 2028 - a £17billion rise in real terms. Its day-to-day budget is set to increase by 2.8 per cent in real terms annually over the three-year spending review period. Sir Keir has also pledged to have 92 per cent of NHS patients treated within 18 weeks by the next election, a target that has remained unmet for a decade. Currently, under 60 per cent are seen within this time with waiting lists rising to 7.4million last month. There are even fears NHS bosses may not hit an interim goal of 65 per cent next year. Chancellor Rachel Reeves' prioritisation of health has forced cuts in other departments and prompted protestations from other cabinet members like Yvette Cooper, the home secretary and Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister and housing secretary. Both have warned Ms Reeves the cuts will put some of the government's crime and housing targets at risk amid 'robust negotiations'. But the chancellor has maintained 'not every department will get everything they want'. Overall, the health budget, which stood at £178billion as Labour took office, will exceed £230billion by the next election. The increase means health is set to account for 41 per cent of all day-to-day departmental spending - up from 39 per cent. Ben Zaranko, of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said Ms Reeves's cash boost was 'a serious, meaningful increase in health funding'. But Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, warned the funding increase 'is not going to enable us to achieve recovery and reform' without big changes to the way the health service treats patients. He said the government's plan to withhold the budget for infrastructure simultaneously would also make 'combining recovery and reform' impossible.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Health Secretary to unveil 'death of the doctor's letter' in digital first switch to help slash NHS postage bills
Ministers will today announce the death of the doctor's letter in a bid to slash NHS postage bills. Health Secretary Wes Streeting will unveil plans to switch to a 'digital first' system, with almost all patient communications made via the NHS app. The move, agreed as part of next week's spending review, will mean most patients will no longer receive letters about appointments, check-ups and screening dates. People unable to use the app will be able to continue receiving a postal service, but only as a 'last resort'. The Department of Health said the move would lead to the NHS sending out 50 million fewer letters a year, saving £200 million on stamps and envelopes. However, critics warned it could disadvantage millions of older people who struggle with the latest technology. Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Voices campaign group, said the move would accelerate the trend towards digital communications that risks turning some older people into 'second class citizens' and could result in vulnerable patients missing appointments. Last night Mr Streeting insisted that 'modernising' communications would 'put power in the hands of patients'. 'People are living increasingly busy lives,' he said, 'and want to access information about their health at the touch of a button, rather than wait weeks for letters that often arrive too late. 'The NHS still spends hundreds of millions of pounds on stamps, printing, and envelopes. By modernising the health service, we can free up huge amounts of funding to reinvest in the frontline.' Health sources said Royal Mail had become so unreliable in parts of the country that some letters didn't arrive until after appointment dates or else people didn't open their post in time. Mr Reed told the Mail: 'Many older people do not have smartphones and many of those that do only use them for making calls. There are still a lot of people who do not know how to use apps or who physically cannot navigate them on a tiny screen. 'If you try to force them to use an app then people will miss messages and vital appointments.' Caroline Abrahams, director of Age Concern, said technology brought 'many potential benefits', but added: 'This is a big risk because millions [of older people] do not use computers at all, or only do so for limited purposes. 'If the NHS app is to become the default, then this major change must be accompanied by many more opportunities to help people of all ages to go online if they wish to do so.'
