Heartbeat: Luke Priest – The lifeline to families

June 10, 2021

When COVID-19 first hit, as a Trust we had to make the difficult decision to restrict visiting to protect our vulnerable patients. At a time when we would normally wholeheartedly encourage families to support each other, we were forced to ask them to part ways as they entered our care.

For some patients, this change was a minor inconvenience, they were able to reconnect with their loved ones through Facetime, Zoom and WhatsApp, but for our more elderly patients, who did not have the lifeline of technology at their fingertips, this change was a difficult pill to swallow.

Whilst clinical teams fought to save the lives of patients, families frantically phoned the hospital hoping to speak to their loved ones and find out how they were progressing. The incredible amount of communication, organisation and engagement required to keep everyone involved up to date on patient progress soon began to take its toll and it was clear that this was a role someone needed to undertake directly – and so the role of ward liaison officer was born.

In steps Luke Priest, Healthcare Assistant by day and when he’s not on shift doing his day job, he took on the role of ward liaison officer, providing a lifeline to families across the ward.

Sharing his thoughts on his role, Luke said, “Wards can be incredibly busy, with numerous people involved in the care of a particular patient, each with an insight in to how that patient is doing. My job when I’m not in my HCA role is to be the link between the hospital and the families of our patients. It’s my job to make sure they’re kept up to date with their loved ones, to support them to have time to talk to each other, reassure them and answer any questions they have.

“It’s an incredibly difficult and worrying time for all those people who have put their trust in us to help their loved ones get better, they’re not allowed to visit and the stories in the press of the devastation caused by COVID does nothing to calm their fears.”

Sharing her thoughts on the Ward Liaison Officer role, McCarthy Ward Manager Lady Ann Ordona said, “We’re incredibly grateful to have the support of Luke who has so selflessly supported our ward. Normally, we would encourage the clinicians who are involved in the care of patients to take the lead on discussing progress with families, but the unprecedented nature of the pandemic and surges meant that we needed someone else to take the lead, and thankfully Luke took on that role.

“Luke has been a lifeline to our patients, their families and loved ones, whilst keeping them in touch and involved, his work has meant that our doctors, nurses, hca and therapists can focus on delivering care.”