Our stories: Julie Dale
“St Leonard’s Hospice has always had a pull as I used to inspect here back in 2003”. Julie decided to swap her job as a nursing home inspector to a career in palliative care after being inspired by Val, a nurse who has worked at the Hospice since day one.
“I had a complete career change from inspector to becoming a bank nurse here. Val, who was my mentor at St Leonard’s, inspired me to study a BSc in Cancer and Palliative Care.
After this, I went on to study for a Masters in Health Professional Education. I worked in the community setting up a palliative care support team and became Clinical Nurse Specialist at York Trust when Dr Bill Hulme, Medical Director at St Leonard’s, supported me to do a non-medical prescriber qualification.
In 2009, I became Specialist Palliative Care Team Leader at York Hospital and took the lead on end of life education across York Trust.
I was looking for my next career move but wanted a job with patient contact, facilitating learning and development, retaining good relationships built over the years, and improving service.The role at St Leonard’s Hospice met all of those expectations.”
Julie joined the St Leonard’s team as Senior Sister for Hospice@Home in November 2021, and says she is “looking forward to helping support the good work of district nursing and palliative care teams, and GP specialists, to enable people to die in their preferred place of care.”
“I’ve been incredibly well supported here. Despite lots of experience, it is still daunting taking on a new role”.
I have a work-life balance at the Hospice, with flexibility and my ideas and suggestions are really welcomed.”
Julie has gone on to inspire people herself, as the team have just welcomed a new starter, Jess, who Julie inspired to work in palliative care after taking care of her grandad, who died at the Hospice
