Anna Hanna’s fascinating journey has sparked a lifelong ambition to provide palliative and end of life care and inspired her to work for Birmingham Hospice.
Since joining in 2021 she has been an integral part of the Hospice at Home Team as a healthcare assistant (HCA), providing expert comfort, care and compassion for people living with a terminal condition in their final days.
Her unique career has always put caring for people at its heart and also developed a unique perspective about their lives.
Anna had previously been a Catering Manager for West Midlands Police and had a spell at a bingo hall but developed her clinical skills working as a drug intervention officer and then a clinical HCA for a GP surgery, which brought the best out of her.
But it was her experience dealing with the challenges of Covid as a care home senior nursing assistant which crystallised her determination to work in palliative care.
She said: “Working in the nursing home during Covid really brought home why caring for people at the end of lives is so important. I thought ‘there has to be a better way’.
“I had always wanted to work in palliative care, so when I applied for a job at the hospice, I felt honoured to be given an interview and was so pleased when I got it.
“When I started it was amazing because everyone was talking the same language about caring for people and making sure people get the dignity they deserve. Everyone was pulling in the same direction and had a passion for palliative care.”
As part of Hospice at Home, Anna and her colleagues always go the extra mile to support patients and their families. She also helps in the Selly Park site kitchen, which prepares meals for those the hospice supports.
“I have learned so much that you can’t put a price on as part of Hospice at Home,” added Anna, who had previously won the hospice’s IRIS Award for kindness.
“It is important to make sure people have a say about what happens to them at the end of their lives.
“Palliative care is different; your openness honesty and kindness really matter, where you can make people comfortable and give them the dignity they deserve.”
In January, her hospice journey took a new direction when she joined the groundbreaking Specialist Palliative Urgent Response (SPUR) service, which provides 24-hour palliative and end of life care.
Working in partnership with Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), Anna responds to emergency calls from patients and families between 8pm and 8am, bringing compassion and expertise at a critical moment.
She said: “I applied for a role with SPUR because it was such an important and necessary service and I was excited to be a part of it.
“I can use my clinical experience and skills alongside our amazing nurses and ensure patients receive the care they need.
“Making sure patients and their families get the care and support they need at any time makes a huge difference.”
