Meet our nurses

Bernadette O'Gorman

Health Transition Lead, Life Force Paediatric Palliative Care Team
Bernadette O'Gorman

We support each other really well. We share the same focus, which is keeping the child in the centre of everything we do.

Bernadette O'Gorman
What's the best thing about working at Whittington Health?
 
Our Life Force palliative care team works in a multi-disciplinary environment, both internally and externally, and that’s interesting and rewarding for all of us. In our team we have psychologists, respite nursery nurses, play specialist/youth worker, clinical nurse specialists and a palliative care consultant. We work with hospital staff on the wards, with staff within special and mainstream schools, hospices and those working within social care settings. Each day is different.
 
Fifteen years ago, we received Lottery money to set up the Life Force Paediatric Palliative Care Team and I’m proud to say some team members have been with me from the beginning. Retention is not an issue – the team, now led by matron Zara Warner, is cohesive, it sits in the same office and we support each other really well. We share the same focus, which is keeping the child at the centre of everything.
 
You work in a challenging area, how do you manage?
 
After a 'retire and return', I now work as the Health Transition Lead for Whittington Health two days a week. It’s a new role that focuses on our transition process so that young people feel confident to independently care for their health.
 
Being in children’s palliative care, people always ask ‘How do you do that?’ Being part of a close team helps as does regularly debriefing after handling difficult cases. We get a lot of support as a group and as individuals. It may be a cliché, but our work is a privilege. We are with families at very difficult times and care for them holistically both pre- and post-bereavement. We coordinate the support they need, be that from the excellent community nurses teams within Camden, Haringey and Islington or the excellent support from the local hospice or from other local services. From within the team, we can provide pockets of care so parents can go out, our play specialist/youth worker can work with the child to help them understand their condition and cope with their treatments and also provide bereavement support to the siblings.
 
Our psychologist works with parents both pre- and post-bereavement and helps to keep all team members mentally healthy. Our clinical nurse specialists work to ensure the maximum support is available to the families. Working alongside the consultant, they are responsible for ensuring optimum symptom management and choices in place of care are offered to the families.
 
What are the rewards for nurses in this area?
 
We work closely with many disciplines and with other hospitals, including the North Middlesex, the Royal Free, University College and Great Ormond Street. Treatments and survival rates have improved and as so many of our children with complex needs live longer using various technologies, part of our role is to support them into school life and help them transition into adult care services. It is helpful for us to see that these children, with the right support, can achieve a good quality of life.
 
You've won awards for the team you lead?
 
We received the Trust’s award of Clinical Team of the Year and the Care Quality Commission rated us as ‘Outstanding’ for the team and ‘Outstanding’ for Leadership. That success belongs to the whole team.
Arul Bangalore

Arul Bangalore

Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Virtual Ward, and Lead Matron for Islington Urgent Care Response

Suzette Bertram

Suzette Bertram

Ward Manager for Mercers (General Surgery)

Maureen Ibeamuchem

Maureen Ibeamuchem

Health Visitor, Team Leader and Community Practice Teacher

Laurinda Lobetania

Laurinda Lobetania

Band 6 ITU Nurse

Becky Muhima

Becky Muhima

Specialist Community Public Health Nurse – School Nursing

Rahbia Rujully

Rahbia Rujully

Practice Development Nurse in Theatres and Day Treatment Centre

Carolyne Sang

Carolyne Sang

District Nurse Manager

Joyette Wencesaio

Joyette Wencesaio

Staff Nurse

Last updated27 Sep 2024
Working on it!