AFTER NEARLY a decade running a major palliative care hospice in Tilehurst, its director has announced plans to step down.
Maria Turnbull, 55 and from Goring, joined Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in 2013, as an interim ward manager.
She led t the team through the centre’s relocation and a six-month refurbishment and modernisation project. This saw the hospice’s inpatient unit grow from being four beds to 15 en-suite bedrooms and a family room.
She become the first head of clinical services, before being appointed as hospice director in 2018, with joint responsibility for Sue Ryder’s palliative care services in South Oxfordshire.
Sue Ryder’s team said that under her leadership, the hospice has been recognised for many achievements, including an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating in 2019.
The hospice was also recognised with a Pride of Reading award in 2021 in recognition of the incredible contribution of its staff to the local community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ms Turnbull said: “There have been challenging times – especially the ongoing impact of Covid-19 – but easily the best part of my job has been the people I have had the privilege of working with, both within Sue Ryder and across the local area.
“I will look back on my time at Sue Ryder with pride, knowing that I have made an impact on how our services have run and developed for patients and families needing our expert care.
“I also want to thank everyone who continues to support us through fundraising and donating, as without them we simply wouldn’t be able to provide the expert and compassionate palliative care we are so well-known for in the local community.”
Ms Turnball’s work saw the hospice ‘expertly led’ through periods of change and challenge, said chief operating officer Alan Bowers.
“Throughout her tenure she has put patients and their families at the heart of everything and has ensured that so many people have got the expert care they need,” he added.
“Her passion and commitment to patients, their families and staff has created a superb legacy and all of us at Sue Ryder wish her all the very best in her retirement.”
Maria qualified as a nurse at The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel in 1986 and in her early career she specialised in haematology and oncology, before going on to work at the Teenage Cancer Trust’s first specialist cancer unit at The Middlesex Hospital, where she became Ward Manager.
In 1996, she moved into palliative care and joined an independent hospice in North London as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, providing end-of-life care and support to people living with life-limiting illnesses. She worked at the hospice for almost two decades, progressing to Clinical Nurse Specialist Team Leader and then Deputy Director of Nursing.
To develop her skills and knowledge, Maria went on to study for a Master’s Degree in Integrated Governance in Healthcare at the University of Westminster.
In her retirement Maria is looking forward to travelling and spending more time with her family.
For more on the hospice, log on to: sueryder.org/duchessofkent
