A renowned expert in palliative care has been confirmed to join a local hospice as it prepares to open a flagship facility in Southend.

Fair Havens is moving to the £17.2 million purpose-built facility in Prittlewell in March. Dr Grahame Tosh will be joining the team as Medical Director to provide the expertise needed to care for patients with complex or incurable conditions within the new hospice. He will be supported by Dr Rachael Marchant, a local GP with experience in end of life care.

It will be a welcome return for Grahame, as he worked for the charity between 1992 and 1997 as Medical Director.

Since moving on, Grahame spent significant time in NHS services, including as an acute trust Medical Director at Southend Hospital.

Grahame has taken his expertise abroad as the Medical Lead for a community hospice in Otago, New Zealand, which included lecturing at the local university.

He is currently a Trustee of Cairdeas International Palliative Care Trust. As well as continuing as a part-time Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Grahame’s latest role was as Executive Medical Director at Marie Curie.

Grahame says, “I am delighted to be joining the team at Havens Hospices.  We all really want to support people in their life stories, helping them to make the most of what is important to them.  There are undoubtedly significant challenges ahead, however, the rebuilt Fair Havens offers huge opportunities to care in new and exciting ways.

“I am also privileged to reconnect with old friends and colleagues.  A lot has changed and developed since I last worked in the area and I will need to rely on their expertise and wisdom as we move forward together.

“I believe it is a fantastic time to be part of the Havens Hospices story and Rachael and I are really excited by the prospect of working together and with the whole of the health and social care community across South East Essex and beyond.”

Rachael will be joining Grahame to provide senior medical input whilst continuing at Pall Mall Surgery in Leigh which will help strength the hospice’s links within the local community.

Rachel has a strong interest in palliative care and is currently studying for a Masters at Cardiff University. She has been working for the local Clinical Commissioning Group for the past few years as a Macmillan GP, leading on end of life care and will continue her involvement as the Royal College of GP’s and Marie Curie’s ‘Clinical Support Fellow’ for end of life care.

Rachael says, “I have chosen to come to Havens Hospices as I loved it there as a GP trainee and found it a positive and rewarding place to work. I am passionate about providing excellent end of life care for our local population and I believe Fair Havens can achieve this by working alongside other local services.

“I have done some work in quality improvement and hope to use this experience in developing existing and new services at the hospice. I am looking forward to being part of a great team and developing new and innovative services for local people.”

Ellie Miller is Director of Care and Executive Nurse at Havens Hospices. “We are thrilled that Grahame and Rachael have chosen to join us at such a pivotal time for the charity. Their enthusiasm, passion and knowledge for palliative care will help us shape our services so that patients and families are truly having the best experience possible at one of the toughest times of their lives, reinforcing our Vision of ‘Making every day count.’”

In December 2019, Havens Hospices announced all care was moving into the community, with the hospice’s Care Team supporting the charity’s Hospice at Home Team. This arrangement will continue until the new hospice in Prittlewell has been inspected by the CQC and patients can be admitted to the In-Patient Unit.

Ellie says, “Grahame and Rachael will now be spending time meeting the Care Teams at Fair Havens and getting to know our patients and the care they need. They will be instrumental in now planning and preparing for the future care that will be provided by the hospice from spring onwards.”

Fair Havens Hospice provides palliative nursing and supportive care to adults living with complex or incurable conditions in Southend, Castle Point and Rochford.

Its specialist Care Team can support them and their family living throughout illness, death and bereavement, in the comfort of their own home or at the hospice. They focus on their quality of life, caring for individual physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs.

Fair Havens is part of Havens Hospices, a registered charity – not part of the NHS – and receives limited government funding.

The charity doesn’t charge a penny for any of its care services.

To find out more about the current vacancies or volunteering opportunities available at the new Fair Havens Hospice or to make a donation, please click here.