A Burnley doctor, who spent six months of her GP training gaining valuable experience at Pendleside Hospice, has returned as an out-of-hours on-call medic.
Dr Nadia Kauser was in her second year of her three-year GP post graduate training when she cared for patients at Pendleside.
Nadia, 32, said: “The experience I gained at Pendleside was invaluable as it gave me exposure to palliative care and complementary therapies. It also gave me an insight in to dealing with bereaved family members and the wider community, other than just the patient.”
Following qualifying as a general practitioner, Nadia has now returned to Pendleside as an out of hours doctor. She also works at the St George’s Surgery in Blackburn, at the Weavers Practice in Rishton and as a medical legal doctor.
She said: “Pendleside is very close to my home so I’m only minutes away. I am on call every other Wednesday evening from 8pm to 8am and at weekends every six to eight weeks.
“When I work there at the weekend, I do the normal walk around the inpatients’ ward addressing the needs of any particular patient and then I am on call for anyone who needs my attention.”
Nadia was born in Keighley but moved to Burnley with her family soon afterwards. She studied at Walshaw High School for Girls before achieving her A levels at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School.
She gained her Manchester University medical degree at Keele University before completing two years’ foundation training and then her three years’ GP training.
She said: “It was during my GP training in 2014 that my GP plus post in palliative care was at Pendleside. While I was there, I learned how people with life-ending illnesses deal with it in such a calm manner. It puts into perspective moments when people, generally, get uptight about the smallest of things.”
Nadia is one of eight on-call doctors who work on a rota system which ensures 24/7 365 days a year cover at Pendleside.
Lead Hospice physician Dr Chris Ainsworth, who oversaw Nadia’s training at the hospice, said: “Nadia was the first GP registrar on a then new training scheme at the hospice. And she is the first to return in the capacity of a fully trained GP.
“It’s very fulfilling to have been part of her development and she is now a highly valued member of our medical staff. Trainee GPs at the hospice get invaluable experience of safely prescribing painkillers and anti-sickness medication which stays with them the whole of their career.”
Dr Ainsworth has worked at the hospice since 2005, initially part-time and then from 2010 full time.
He said: “I previously worked as a GP, but I can honestly say working at Pendleside is the best job I have had in my career, and by far the happiest.”