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Our Hospice Team

St Francis Hospice services are delivered by a team of more than 600 staff, volunteers, and contract staff. Find out more about each role and discipline

Meet our Team

The image features three individuals posing for the camera in an indoor corridor. They are all wearing professional attire that suggests they might work in a healthcare or medical setting. The person on the left is a woman with glasses, wearing a light blue nurse's uniform. In the center is a man with a beard, dressed in a blue scrub shirt with a name tag and carrying a stethoscope, which suggests he may be a medical professional. On the right is another woman with short blonde hair, also in a blue-striped, button-up shirt with a name tag. Behind them, the corridor has wood-finished doors and framed pictures on the wall. They all appear cheerful and are smiling.

Staff nurses and clinical nurse managers in our in-patient units provide palliative care and support to our patients, their families and friends.

A community palliative care nurse stands outside a house, about to knock on the front door. She carries a patient file in her hands, and a briefcase with shoulder strap.

Community palliative care nurses provide specialist support and advice to patients in their place of residence, and their families. They collaborate with other healthcare professionals involved in the patient’s care.

Two lymphoedema nurse specialists stand together, holding a specialist bandage. They both wear lavendar tunics.

Our staff nurses, clinical nurse managers and nurses trained as complementary therapists and lymphoedema specialists all contribute to the care provided in Outpatient and Day Services.

Two nurse educators wearing ordinary clothes sit side by side looking at some nursing care equipment that is on the table in front of them.

Our nursing colleagues contribute to patient care and staff development through many roles, including education, infection control, haemovigilance, nursing management, and more.

The image features a group of healthcare professionals, likely in a hospital setting. On the left, a man wearing a grey t-shirt and blue scrubs is attentively looking at a document held by a woman in the center. The woman, dressed in a printed black and white top and blue trousers, is pointing at something on the document. Both are wearing ID badges and have stethoscopes. In the background, two more individuals are busy at another counter, appearing engaged in their work. The environment is modern, with light-colored walls and a clean, professional appearance.

Our medical staff includes palliative medicine consultants, specialist registrar trainees, non-consultant hospital doctors, GP trainees, and others.

A social worker demonstrates play therapy with an owl puppet on her hand. She is sitting on a purple chair beside a large window, showing a green garden outside.

The diagnosis of a serious illness brings many changes and can raise lots of questions, both practical and emotional. Everyone has their own way of coping and their own resources. Sometimes we need help from someone outside of the family to help make sense of what is happening, ask our questions and discuss how to adjust to illness and all the changes it brings to our life.

The Social Work service of St. Francis Hospice is provided by qualified and experienced social workers who work as part of the multidisciplinary team. We can help you talk through thoughts and feelings about illness, support around changes the illness has brought, provide counselling and facilitate family meetings. We also provide support to carers. When serious illness occurs in the family, adults naturally want to protect children from its impact. However, it is vitally important that children are involved in the family’s experience and helped to express their feelings. We offer support and advice to parents and families in recognising and managing the specific needs of children and others who may have difficulty with understanding illness and coping with change and loss. We can provide guidance on communicating with children and managing difficult conversations. The service is also extended to the family during their experience of bereavement.

Two women sit at right angles to each other on a sofa, making eye contact as if in conversation. The setting is a hospice and this appears to be a chaplain in conversation with someone.

The chaplains provide spiritual and religious care and support to patients, families, significant others, staff members and volunteers in all services delivered by St Francis Hospice.

While at all times respecting and upholding the dignity of the person, chaplains are privileged to join people on the final stage of life’s journey as they face illness and death. We listen to their stories as we journey with them, exploring what gives meaning to their lives.

We offer support to people of diverse cultures and faith traditions, or none, acknowledging what is important and meaningful for them. We respect the rights of patients/families to have access to spiritual care by members of their own faith and we enable this where possible on request.

We respond to peoples’ religious needs as appropriate for them. The celebration of the Eucharist takes place in SFH Raheny and SFH Blanchardstown on certain days each week. The Sacrament of the Sick and Sacrament of Reconciliation are available on request.

Chaplaincy often goes beyond words; sometimes there are no words to be said. Silence, waiting, being there, sitting beside, standing there is what becomes important. Presence is what touches people in ways that we cannot measure.

A physiotherapist leads a group exercise, holding a weight in each hand and preparing to lift them over her head. Only she is visible, and behind her is a large window looking out onto a green garden.

The Physiotherapy team in St Francis Hospice can work with you to improve your quality of life and give you more independence, no matter what your physical abilities are.

Physiotherapists aim to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout a persons life. This is done by identifying the potential in each patient and working toward reaching it.

Our physiotherapists work closely with all members of the hospice team in order to co-ordinate your care in a safe and effective manner. We have strong links with our colleagues in hospital and community settings to ensure the seamless delivery of high quality care.

The Physiotherapy team at St. Francis Hospice aims to improve your ability to carry out daily tasks, help you to maintain independence, and gain relief from symptoms you may have as a result of your disease or its treatment. A physiotherapist can assess you and devise a plan of treatment. The plan will be carried out at a pace suited to you to help you reach your goals.

Services provided by the Physiotherapy Department include:

Rehabilitation
Exercise programmes
Mobility assessment
Management of breathlessness (dyspnoea) and chest secretions
Fatigue management
Advice on the management of falls
Patient/carer advice
Pain management

An occupational therapist and patients are planting seedlings into small plastic pots on a light brown table top.

Occupational therapy (OT) supports people to take part in everyday activities that are important or meaningful to them.

At St. Francis Hospice Dublin, OTs work with people throughout all stages of their illness whose ability to function as they wish, is affected. OTs work with patients and carers to improve independence for self-care, work and leisure activities. After the OT assessment goals are set to ensure the patients’ needs and wishes are at the centre of the intervention. OT interventions focus on achieving better functional independence, comfort and well-being.

OT interventions can include: Education and practical advice to manage symptoms such as breathlessness, pain, fatigue and anxiety, to maintain or support re-engagement in meaningful tasks.

Interventions to help you complete day to day tasks, such as washing, and dressing, and preparing meals. This may include rehabilitation and/ or equipment and adaptations to help make tasks easier.

Therapeutic groups and exploration of leisure interests such as gardening, baking and reminiscence to improve quality of life.

In the Inpatient Unit OTs also complete:
Assessment for specialist chairs, including comfort chairs, wheelchairs, incorporating support and pressure relief, to maximise function and comfort.

Environmental and functional assessments to facilitate hours out, overnights or discharge home.

A hospice room with hospital-style bed made up with a sky blue bed covering. A female healthcare assistant is standing behind the bed adjusting the covers, as if preparing for a patient to arrive. Beside the bed is a bedside locker. Behind the bed is a window with fabric curtains. A picture of a sunflower hangs on the wall over the head of the bed.

Healthcare assistants work in our In-Patient Units and Outpatient and Day Service. They assist patients with their personal care needs and also provide support to family members and visitors.

Two women are having their tea break in a hospice canteen. They wear blue tunics that denote household staff. Behind them is a large window with views of a green garden.

Household staff members serve meals and snacks to patients in our In-Patient Units.

A pharmacist and nurse stand side by side, consulting together with a patient's chart open in front of them.

Our pharmacists work with nursing and medical staff to ensure safe, effective, and rational use of medicines to improve your health and wellbeing.

It is our job to check prescriptions and to answer questions for nurses, doctors and patients on the safe prescribing and administration of medicines.

A complementary therapist wearing a lavender tunic stands at the foot of a patient's bed. Between her two hands, she holds the patient's right foot. She appears to be applying a therapeutic technique.

Complementary Therapy can:
Help you relax
Ease anxiety
Reduce stress and tension
Reduce pain and discomfort
Reduce nausea
Ease symptoms such as breathlessness, constipation, fatigue
Improve sleep pattern
Reduce psychological distress / provide emotional support

Complementary Therapies provided by St Francis Hospice are massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, Indian head massage and M-Technique. All these therapies are used alongside conventional medicine to treat patients. Our staff are experienced in treating patients with various illnesses.

Therapies available:
Massage – Gentle movement over the skin and muscles which allows the body tissues to let go of tension and strain.
Aromatherapy – The use of essential oils in treatments to improve physical and emotional well-being.
Reflexology – A technique that uses pressure point massage usually on the feet or hands to help restore balance in the body.
Indian Head Massage – A gentle massage of the head, face, neck and shoulders which can help relieve fatigue and stress and induce a feeling of calm. Essential oils may or may not be used.
M-Technique – A series of very gentle stroking movements at a set sequence, pressure and pace. It is different from conventional massage and may be suitable when massage is inappropriate.

A lymphoedema specialist in a lavender tunic applies specialist bandaging to a patient's hand. This is a close up of the bandaged hand, two staff members' hands and the torso of the lympoedema specialist.

The Lymphoedema service at St Francis Hospice Dublin provides individualised assessment and management of lymphoedema for palliative patients under the care of St Francis Hospice.

Lymphoedema is oedema (swelling caused by a build-up of fluid) which can occur anywhere in the body but most commonly occurs in arms or legs. It is most frequently caused by disruption of the lymphatic system following cancer surgery, radiation therapy or tumour growth.

Oedema, which is not due to lymphoedema but as a result of other diseases, can also occur in patients.

Lymphoedema is not curable but can be managed, depending on the level of oedema present. In St Francis Hospice, treatment mainly includes the application of compression garments. Depending on the level of lymphoedema or the location of the oedema, some patients receive specialised massage called Manual Lymph Drainage along with compression bandaging.

In most cases, lymphoedema or oedema will continue to worsen if not treated. Treatments can help to reduce swelling, relieve pain and improve limb mobility. It can improve quality of life for patients.

Four staff members are pictured in a library setting, with views of a green garden outside. One man and three women are huddled around a professional journal, reading from an article together.

Continuing professional development is an essential for providing high quality, evidence-based palliative care. Our education and library team provides courses, conferences, clinical education and placements, and other supports to St Francis Hospice staff and volunteers, as well as to healthcare professionals from other organisations.

A young woman sits at an office desk, holding a landline telephone receiver in her right hand. She is looking at a PC screen in front of her.

Our non-clinical staff carry out essential work in areas including:

Reception

Clinical administration

Senior management and governance

Human resources

Finance

General and technical services

Transport

Stores

ICT

Volunteer management

Communications

Fundraising

An older woman sits in an office chair holding a landline phone to her right ear. She is smiling and looking toward the camera. Behind her is a large window with greenery visible.

Our 300 volunteers enhance our hospice services through their contribution across numerous roles.

For more information, visit our Volunteers page.

Two members of catering staff face the camera. On the left is a smiling woman in a white shirt standing at the till. To the right is a smiling man in a black shirt standing behind the coffee machine.

Our contract catering staff provide all meals for our patients and also operate restaurants at both hospices for staff and volunteers, visitors, and patients who wish to dine there rather than in their rooms.

Two women stand together in a corridor. The woman on the left is wearing a contract cleaner's tunic. The woman on the right is wearing office attire and wears a lanyard around her neck.

Our contract cleaning staff ensure our hospice facilities are kept to the highest standard of cleanliness and hygiene.

A grey-haired smiling man in a security uniform with blue shirt and tie leans against a door frame, facing the camera.

Our contract security staff provide assistance to visitors and staff, and are on duty 24 hours per day.

Short Videos

Meet our multidisciplinary team in these short videos.

Community Palliative Care

Our very first employee, Betty, describes her work as a Community Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapist Debbie talks about her work in enabling people to live as well as possible with their illness.

Occupational Therapy

Ciara tells us about her work as an occupational therapist in outpatient and day service.

Social Work

As Coordinator of Social Work and Bereavement services, Niamh tells us what she loves about her job and how the needs of patients and families are tailored to suit each individual at different stages of their journey.

Meet Our Doctors

Martha tells us about her experience as a doctor working with St Francis Hospice.

Meet Our Administrative Support Team

Anne tells us what its like to work as part of the Reception team.

Chaplaincy

Olwen, one of our Chaplains, describes her favorite parts of her job.

Fundraising

Eimear talks to us about fundraising, philanthropy and her love of working with corporate partnerships and introducing them to the hospice and palliative care.

Nursing

Nurse Paula talks to us about common misconceptions of the hospice environment, her love of her job and her great work life balance.

For more staff, volunteer and Hospice stories please visit our Hospice Happenings News section.