Palliative care award for Maria O'Neill
Over the years, Maria has bought her years of hospice experience into the prison environment, ultimately changing the way the prison service supports those with a life limiting illness. Maria’s passion and dedication to her role has caused a positive ripple effect which will leave a permanent legacy of improved palliative care for prisoners.
Maria was initially shortlisted in “Care Talk magazine’s” inaugural “Palliative & End of Life Care Awards” which recognise and celebrate excellence in palliative and end of life care, before going on to win the “The Excellence in Palliative Care Nursing Award”, sponsored by Royal College of Nursing. The aim of the awards is to pay tribute to individuals and organisations who provide high quality, person centred, end of life and palliative care, enabling people to have a ‘Good Life and a Good Death’ and recognising accomplishments at all levels from within the social care workforce and hospices.
Maria’s palliative care journey started in 1991 when her Grandad had stomach cancer, there was no palliative care or hospice movement then. Maria spent 9 months sleeping on a mattress by his side each night and working as a nurse in the daytime. She didn’t want anyone to suffer like they did.
After her grandad passed away the following year, Maria moved to work at Thorpe Hall Hospice Peterborough until 2014, working her way up to a Band 7 Sister, before she saw an opportunity to work in a prison. A friend who worked at HMP Littlehey told her how interesting it was and Maria has never looked back.
The award ceremony took place on Friday 28 June where Maria was delighted to be announced as the winner. She was presented a trophy and certificate by Kate Garroway (TV presenter and care champion) and Neeve Spencer (DJ at Magic FM).
Maria explains what the win means to her and the team; “This win is not only for me but for the whole of Healthcare in HMP Littlehey, we are all part of a fantastic team and one I feel privileged to be a part of. The Healthcare team at HMP Littlehey are second to none and all work together as one big family and support each other. My passion for caring for patients at the end of their lives is the most rewarding and privileged role you could possibly be in.”
Maria’s palliative care work in prisons spans many years and has a number of highlights. She worked hard to bring the hospice into the prison, introducing ‘Advanced care Plans’, helping to create the ‘Last days of life care plan’, and she was one of the original contributors to ‘Dying well in Custody Charter’, having piloted it and presented it back to Macmillan in Manchester. She also created an early identification tool to help identify people who are in the last 12 months of life.
Maria adds; “I run a Crayfish cancer support group for my cancer patients within the prison. I also go around the country presenting at conferences with Dr Annelise Matthews, Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Edinburgh University, about our work. Since 2021, I have worked solely as a Palliative Clinical Nurse Specialist for Cambridgeshire secured services which is the most rewarding job I have ever had, and I even obtained a ‘Queens nurse’ award for the work I do here.”
“I love my role and feel I have the best job in the world, I care for all my patients from diagnosis to death, they can choose where they want to die the majority of the time, whether that be in prison, in hospital or in a hospice. If you are passionate about nursing, then it really is a missed opportunity not to consider working with a prison setting.
Individuals can find out more about working in healthcare across our secured service sites here Work in secured services | NHFT