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PRESS RELEASES

November 2007

It gives me great pleasure to update you on the work of the Lawrence Home Nursing Team. I would like to extend to all of you my most sincere thanks for the support given to the team. When the LHNT was founded in 1999 the word “team” referred to the nurses. However, each year, I become increasingly aware of the vast number of people that contribute to the LHNT; each one in their own way is vital to our existence and continued success.

Nationally, community based palliative care continues to develop. This year palliative care has been more formally included in core GP services and, as I have previously mentioned, the “Gold Standards”, which outline a framework of best practice, have been fully implemented by all local practices. The LHNT has been a key element in ensuring that we, in the Chipping Norton area, are delivering a service of nationally recognised excellence in all aspects of terminal care.

The Trustees are pleased to announce that we have significantly extended the geographical area covered by the LHNT. We are now able to serve patients in Stonesfield, Finstock and Ramsden. This important change ensures that all patients at the Charlbury Surgery can now access our services.

We are delighted that Katharine House Hospice has set up a shop in Chipping Norton. The LHNT is fully supportive of this development and warmly welcomes the closer links that this will bring. KHH is pivotal to local terminal care provision, and is an invaluable resource for the LHNT in so many ways, particularly training. We hope to help them set up a community based palliative care service, similar to the LHNT, in the Banbury area in the next few years.

We are very grateful to the Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP, our patron, for giving up his very precious time to attend several key fundraising events in the last year. I also want to thank the many people who have organised events and the tremendous amount of time and effort that has been spent in fundraising on our behalf again this year. The LHNT very much appreciates everything our supporters do for us; both big and small. I would like to thank our tireless Fundraising Co-ordinator Nikki Knott and her team for all that they do. We are very fortunate that once again this year local artists have contributed Christmas card designs to the LHNT. Information about where the cards can be purchased is enclosed with this letter. Christmas cards are obviously useful for fundraising but also have a vital role in raising our profile. I do hope that you will send LHNT Christmas cards this year! Anyone interested in having their cards personalised with their names and address or businesses must contact Nikki Knott before November 21st.

This year we had a fantastic talk from Dr Rosemary Williams who spoke with great passion about the work of Dame Cicely Saunders, the foundation of St. Christopher’s Hospice and the future of hospice care. One very important point that was highlighted at this year’s AGM is that the LHNT cares for all terminally ill patients and not just those with cancer. You are very warmly invited to attend next year’s AGM which will take place in the Lower Town Hall, Chipping Norton on May 7th 2008 at 7.30 pm.

Nursing Co-ordinator Jenny Nolan and her team of nurses remain the key to our success. I regularly receive letters of thanks and praise for the exceptional care that they provide. We currently have 18 nurses in our bank; their commitment and dedication is outstanding. At times they are called out with just a few hours notice and they work tirelessly to ensure that the LHNT is usually able to offer care to patients whenever it is needed. I thank them for their skill, generosity and enthusiasm despite often facing the most difficult of circumstances.

Our website www.lawrencehomenursing.org has recently been fully updated by Nigel Moxley. We are most grateful to him for the on-going support that he provides. We would encourage you to keep in touch with us through the website. It is now possible, if you prefer, to make donations online through the website www.justgiving.com. We are always most grateful to people for holding fundraising events on our behalf. Can I request that you contact our Fundraising Co-ordinator, Nikki Knott (01608 677665), as early as possible so that we can ensure that we give you all the support we can. If you feel you can help us in any way we would be very grateful.

On behalf of all the Trustees I would like to thank you all again for the vital support you give to the LHNT. This support enables us to respond to any need as quickly as possible and to offer the very best service to patients choosing to die in their own homes.

May we wish you a Happy Christmas.

Dr. Jonathan Moore, Chairman