Rotherham Hospice says heartfelt farewell to Dr Fiona Hendry after almost 21 years of service

Rotherham Hospice has paid tribute to Dr Fiona Hendry, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, who leaves the hospice after almost 21 years of extraordinary service to palliative and end-of-life care across Rotherham.

Fiona first came to Rotherham in October 2005 as the borough’s first Palliative Medicine Consultant. Since then, she has played a central role in shaping and strengthening palliative care for local people, working across the hospice, hospital, community and care home settings to ensure patients and families receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

During Fiona’s time in Rotherham, palliative care has developed significantly. Rotherham Hospice has grown from 8 inpatient beds to 14, Hospice at Home has developed into a 24-hour service, and palliative care advice and support has become available around the clock. Fiona has also been part of the development of seven-day hospital palliative care, stronger community support, and closer working with services supporting people with respiratory disease, heart failure, neurological conditions and other life-limiting illnesses.

But beyond the service developments, Fiona’s greatest legacy is the clarity and compassion she has always brought to patient care. Her focus has never shifted from what matters most: recognising when someone is deteriorating, supporting people to make choices, coordinating care properly, listening to patients and families, and ensuring people are cared for with skill, calmness, kindness and dignity.

Throughout her career in Rotherham, Fiona has been a passionate advocate for patients and families. She has challenged systems, asked difficult questions, shared her expertise generously, and consistently reminded those around her that palliative care is not about processes or pathways alone, it is about people. It is about helping someone feel safer, more comfortable, more heard, and more in control at one of the most important times in their life.

Mat Cottle-Shaw, Chief Executive of Rotherham Hospice, said:

“Fiona’s contribution to palliative and end-of-life care in Rotherham is almost impossible to measure. Over nearly 21 years, she has helped thousands and thousands of patients and families at some of the most important and difficult moments of their lives, always bringing immense expertise, compassion and absolute focus on what matters most to the person in front of her.

“She has played a central role in shaping palliative care across the borough, not only within the hospice, but across hospital, community and home settings too. Fiona has always been a passionate advocate for patients and families, and her influence will continue through the services she helped develop, the colleagues she has supported and taught, and the countless lives she has touched.

“On behalf of everyone at Rotherham Hospice, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to Fiona for everything she has given to our hospice, our patients, our families and our wider community. She leaves with our deepest gratitude and very best wishes for her retirement.”

Fiona leaves behind an enormous legacy. Her work has touched thousands of patients and families across Rotherham, and her influence will continue through the teams, doctors, nurses and colleagues she has supported, challenged, taught and inspired over the last two decades.

Everyone at Rotherham Hospice wishes Fiona every happiness in her retirement and thanks her for her dedication, expertise, courage, compassion and unwavering commitment to putting patients and families first.