Hospice for life. Wirral Hospice inpatient ward staff nurse Mick found his vocation early on

It’s clear that ward nurse Mick adores his job,

“I’ve been at Wirral Hospice St John’s for just over a year now and I love it.

My colleagues are the best. So professional but also, so kind.

Years back, an old friend of mine encapsulated working at a hospice as ‘running on kindness’.

Patients and their families will often open up to us, not just about the clinical and medical support for their illnesses, but about their real lives too. It’s such a privilege to be taken into that kind of confidence. 

Many patients come to the ward needing our specialist symptom management support and it’s always great when we can wish them well as we discharge them back to their own home environment.

At the appropriate time, of course, we’re also part of helping people make the most of their time together and experience teaches you when to offer a reassuring hand or an empathetic ear, word or gesture, in circumstances all of us are likely to go through at some time in our lives.”   

It’s so true, Mick.

From Wallasey originally, Mick knew from quite an early age that he wanted to be a nurse. His mum, Libby, was a health care assistant (HCA) in a nursing home and working in health care is embedded in his family with sisters, Liz, an HCA, and Sarah, a dialysis nurse.

After training at Walton and Fazakerley hospitals, and qualifying in 1993, he worked in the care of older people sector in Blundellsands, close to Crosby where he then lived, before finding his first job in a hospice.

Mick is precise on the dates he started at all of his hospices.

“It was July 4^th, 1997, when I joined St Joseph’s Hospice in Thornton. It was such a lovely place. I was there for 18 months and would still be there, probably, if a house move to the other side of Liverpool hadn’t meant changing jobs too.”

Autumn Lodge in Aigburth was where Mick found himself next, nursing on five continuing care beds in which patients were often referred in partnership with Marie Curie Hospice in Liverpool.

“On December 4^th, 2000, I began working on the inpatients ward at Marie Curie in Woolton in Liverpool and spent the best part of 24 years there, ten of which, in their Wellbeing Centre.

For me, hospices are the embodiment of humanity. It’s an absolute privilege to be let into people’s lives when they are often facing their most challenging moments. The trust they bestow on us is truly humbling.”

As a follower of Buddhism, Mick uses the word Metta from Buddhist texts which in its most simple interpretation into English is kindness, Mick says

“Metta is actually even more than kindness it conveys a sense of solidarity, a standing with, a sense of ‘being in this together’.”  

When Marie Curie closed its inpatients ward in Liverpool in 2024 (other hospice services continue from its base in Woolton, Wellbeing, outpatients and signposting home visits) the next place for Mick to apply was here.

He’d been back on the Wirral for a number of years, jointly caring for mum, Libby, and dad, Jim, before they sadly died so, in many ways we were the next logical step for Mick.

To our great benefit he joined us in Spring 2025. Of course, Mick recalls the exact start date,

“On April 7^th, 2025, I began working on the inpatient ward at Wirral Hospice St John’s and from day one I felt like I had come home. It’s a truly lovely place.

I work with the most solid, professional, people. There is so much collaboration and respect across all the teams involved in the care of our patients and their families.

Doctors, nurses, health care assistants, physios, occupational therapists, social workers, complementary therapists, spiritual coordinators and support for children and young people.

Not forgetting the domestic, kitchen and maintenance staff, alongside all of our wonderful volunteers, who keep everything ticking.

Tea, coffee, cake, a chat and a laugh when appropriate, on top of the specialist clinical and medical care and support is all part of what makes our hospice special.

People from all walks of life come through our doors, or are cared for by our Hospice at Home team, and it is the greatest privilege that we get the opportunity to try our very best to help them.

I can’t think of a better reason to come to work.”

He recently turned 60 and naturally his ward friends wanted to surprise him with a cake, which had a picture of a very young Mick as its centrepiece.

Mick’s colleagues (he doesn’t know we asked) are quick with their praise for him,

“A lovely bloke. Amazing. Kind and communicative. Personable. Knows his stuff. Knowledgeable. Really enjoy working with him. He’s got a sweet personality (and a sweet tooth!) Patients love him. Caring and attentive. He’s got a big heart, a real sweetheart.”

And, summing up, one colleague said,

“He’s everything you would want a hospice nurse to be.”

Thank you, Mick, for putting our patients and their families at the heart of all you do, we’re honoured to have you here.

 If you’d like to make a small monthly gift to the hospice to help us to provide our specialist care and support services please consider our Sponsor a Nurse initiative, for which there are more details here, www.wirralhospice.org/sponsoranurse 

We are forever grateful for your generous support. Thank you.