St Joseph’s Hospice wins award for heart failure care

A Hackney nurse has proved she has a big heart after winning her hospice its third national award in as many years.

Katie Longton, a nurse specialist at St Joseph’s Hospice, Mare Street, won the ‘non-cancer’ award at the International Journal of Palliative Nursing Awards 2011 for her work with heart failure patients.

“People with heart failure haven’t always been able to access palliative care if it’s needed,” said Ms Longton, 29. “Our focus is on improving their quality of life.”

Hospices find it hard to engage with heart failure patients because the condition is unpredictable and patients will often deteriorate or die suddenly. Ms Longton works with other nurses in the surrounding boroughs to try and increase the number of heart failure patients referred to St Joseph’s.

St Joseph’s runs a ‘heart failure well being clinic’ twice a month, which is attended regularly by up to 25 people. It provides support and advice to patients, as well as arranging social events.

St Joseph’s has been recognised in previous years for its work with neurological disease.