The Holy Cross team aims to help people with severe disability maximise their potential and minimise the impact of injury or illness on the individual person and their family. This may be helping them learn to live their lives differently with new aspirations, expectations, sources of satisfaction, self-esteem and ways to use their time with new abilities and strengths. A strong emphasis is placed on normal real life activities, which are meaningful to each individual person. The starting point is to develop a real understanding of each person and we work closely with patients and their families to achieve this.

Care and treatment is provided by staff who have a sound understanding of the issues facing the patients and their families and are motivated to work with them. Clinical team members work closely with their colleagues from other areas to ensure a safe, supportive environment is provided to maintain motivation and counteract the ‘helplessness’ often felt following serious injury/illness.

care

There is a strong commitment to teamwork and a belief that everyone from housekeeper to Consultant has a part to play. Examples of this are:

Housekeeping staff part of infection control team
Catering staff working closely with dietitian and nurses to ensure patients receive optimum nutrition
Administration staff support patients to manage their finances
Maintenance staff ensure building is fit for purpose and equipment is in good working order

Holy Cross is committed to professional development and provides many opportunities for staff at all levels.

Clinical Team

The multi-disciplinary team members combine and share their individual skills, knowledge and experiences and have frequent, close communication to ensure consistency throughout the 24-hour period. All are suitably qualified and have specialist skills in the area of severe disability.

Members include:

Medical Staff

Patients require less contact with doctors than they did during the acute stage of their illness/injury. However there are daily visits and out of hours cover provided by Medical Officers all of whom are practicing General Practitioners. All patients are under the care of a Rehabilitation Consultant who visits Holy Cross regularly. Weekly multi-disciplinary team meetings are held to evaluate progress, discuss and decide on treatment as well as reviewing medication.