Denise’s Story

Denise is the Head of Housekeeping for St Mary’s Hospice. The Housekeeping Team work 365 days a year to cover the whole hospice and Living Well Centre with the main focus on our In-Patient Unit (IPU). Denise loves her job, and has worked here for since 2004. She is very proud of St Mary’s and her team, and feels privileged to meet patients and their families as part of her role.

“All the Housekeeping team love being on the IPU. This makes our work mean and feel so much more than a normal cleaning job. It’s about being with our brilliant nursing team and feeling part of that team. We work with staff on the unit and staff and volunteers off the unit as we are lucky to have a unique role where we get to see everyone from across the hospice. What we love about working here is going into the patients rooms at any stage of their illness. It’s that special time where you can help – it may be opening a window, making a cup of tea, but patients get to know us and enjoy a little chat. We also get to talk to relatives and visitors.

We take the hospice values very seriously and around with us! CARING for patients and their families. ASPIRING – we aspire to support St Mary’s in as many ways as we can from fundraising, donating to or buying from our lovely hospice shops, getting sponsorship, taking part in events, collecting used stamps and knitting! And we work hard to be PROFESSIONAL our work is about infection control and to always professionally carry out our duties on and off the IPU.”

Denise also hosts the hospice induction tours. “I love doing the tours, it’s about bringing warmth and humour to here. I love showing off the hospice and am very proud of St Mary’s and to be part of such a caring, professional team. I enjoy keeping up to date with our hospice website and social media to see what wonderful things are going on in our community. It meant so much to us when a family member fed back about how helpful and respectful Housekeeping were. That’s what it’s all about.”