My name is Elisha and I’m Head of Clinical Services at Noah’s Ark.
Elisha oversees Specialist Care and Nursing, Perinatal Services and the award-winning Play Team both in The Ark and in the community.
She manages the development and delivery of our clinical offering to ensure the highest possible standards of care for the babies, children and young people that we support, and their families. Elisha’s team provides clinical and holistic care to babies, children and young people with lifelimiting or life-threatening conditions and their families, managing care planning, symptom control and end-of-life care.
Elisha says:
“We pride ourselves on being able to offer babies, children, young people and their families choice, tailoring our care to family’s individual needs. Our Clinical Services Team of Specialist Carers and Nurses provide day care, overnight stays, support at fun inclusive events and end-of-life or care after death in both the home and community. We also have Specialists including Specialist Play, Midwifery and Hydrotherapy offering bespoke support.
We work closely with our Holistic Service Team. This includes liaising with our Family Link Team who work with each family to create an individual package of care based on the family’s needs. We also help with service development and ensure our Holistic and Clinical Services are aligned.
I love working at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, we put the children and families at the centre of all that we do. I feel privileged to be part of the clinical rota, because I get to spend time having fun, making memories with and caring for the children and families we support. I also really enjoy teaching; I am a long-term ventilation specialist and am passionate about upskilling professionals in this area. I am proud of the development of our new services including Perinatal Services. Our Midwife is one of only two working in Children’s Hospices in England and Wales, which means that our support can start from diagnosis, even before birth. Also, our Transition Service, that increases opportunities for young people and adults.
Our biggest challenge now is Specialist Nurse and Carer recruitment, which is part of a wider national problem. We currently offer a 24/7 palliative care service that gives choice to families about where their child is cared for at the end of their life or care after death. However, our ambition is to continue to increase our clinical care provision. To achieve this, we need to recruit more Specialist Carers and Nurses.
Being a Nurse in a Children’s Hospice is all about making memories, having fun, enhancing comfort, providing choices and ultimately making the most of the short lives of the babies, children and young people we support. It can be challenging at times, but it’s always incredibly rewarding.”