Development Day in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire Project

A growing number of healers work as an integrated part of NHS services funded by our charity The Sam Buxton Sunflower Healing Trust.

Shuna Watkinson leads a very exciting project in Hertfordshire within the Respiratory Department of East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.

Shuna is contracted for 15 hours a week at the Trust funded by SBSHT and works closely with five Chest Consultants and two Lung Cancer Specialist Nurses.

One of these, Patricia Swann, has been largely instrumental in developing the service.

Patricia was successful in gaining a Health Education East of England and King’s Fund Fellowship which enabled her to review the current service. Following this award she was asked to give a presentation at the National Lung Cancer Nurses’ Conference which Shuna says was very well received.

Shuna is fully integrated into the respiratory team working in clinics, endoscopy units, Lung Cancer Support Groups and the newly opened Macmillan

Chemotherapy Unit at Lister Hospital. She also accepts referrals from the respiratory ward and the Sleep Unit, where she helps to ease anxiety and difficult symptoms.

The service is growing fast with the addition of volunteers who are joining the team so that a growing number of departments are able to offer the therapy to their patients, carers and members of staff. Demand is growing as the number of volunteer’s increases. Shuna says: “It is wonderful to be accepted as part of the team, and the response from patients and staff has been extremely enthusiastic and encouraging. There is evidence that people notice a reduction of anxiety and stress, and that symptoms are eased.”

Shuna is funded by SBSHT and the charity continues to expand its reach. It has funded 30  projects since it began its work in 2006 and supports similar projects in other hospitals around the country.

Shuna says: “Integration within the NHS is the future thanks to the pioneering work by SBSHT and to the many members of the Multi Discipline team (MDT) who work with and support me in this role.