Kathy Collins, a quality improvement lead at the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Clinical Networks, is one of three shortlisted as ‘End of Life Care Champion of the Year’ in the inaugural National Council for Palliative Care awards, which saw entries from over 50 organisations nationwide.
Kathy, who has worked in the NHS for over 32 years, leads the palliative and end of life care network, supporting clinical, nursing and care home staff at the region’s hospitals, community trusts and hospices. She is passionate about making the experience of patients at the end of their life as good as it possibly can be. She has led the network in collaborative work to improve education for health and social care staff, integrate a new IT system for improved palliative care and support across services, developed an end of life care charter and much more.
Dr Paula Powell, consultant in palliative medicine for Halton, St Helens and Knowsley, and clinical lead for the network, said: “Kathy’s drive and passion for better end of life care and her ability to influence others is truly inspirational. Through determination and tenacity, she has made many things happen to enable patients and their loved ones to receive better care. “Although calm and relaxed to those who know her, she has a real fighting spirit to ensure end of life care is improving and is a credit to the nursing profession for the work she has achieved.”
Glenis Freeman, one of the judges and organisers of the awards said: “The number and quality of the awards has been incredible. The range of activities, and the energy and care each one represents shows how much is going on. It is clearly the right time to celebrate and reward this effort.”
The panel of judges included a mixture of experts and patient representatives. Kathy will find out if she has won the overall champions’ award at an awards ceremony during the NCPC’s flagship conference in March.