Hello my name is…

Claire Leyland.  I’m married and have three children, one girl and two boys. With this brings a busy life taking them to clubs and activities. I live in the countryside. The calmness of village life is great, and I enjoy family walks.

I have worked for the trust for 19 years and been a qualified nurse for 20 years. I love my job and find it incredibly rewarding.

My motto is “Iaughter is the best medicine” and I try and fill my life with as much of it as I can. With age and life experience comes an understanding of what and is important and I enjoy each day, with this in mind.

What is your position? 

Lead Palliative Care Nurse

Summarise your career background
Trained in Leeds. Started my career in surgery working in LGI. Moved to Huddersfield 10/00 worked on Breast surgery/Oncology ward at HRI. This transferred to ward 12, Oncology/Haematology ward. I have been a Specialist palliative Care Nurse since 10/2005. I have also worked on bank for Kirkwood Hospice community Specialist palliative Care Team and currently work weekends for NHS 111 as a Senior floor walker and Specialist Palliative Care Nurse

What is the highlight of your career so far?

There are too many. How can helping people not be rewarding?

Sum up your role in three words

Rewarding, challenging, important

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Always wanted to be a nurse, huge family history of nurses within my family, going back five generations.  I had a strong interest in the speciality of palliative care from working in a care home at the age of 17 years.

Who is your hero/heroine and why?

All the patients and families I work with. These are the ones that are facing situations that others couldn’t dream about. How people find the strength to cope with certain situations still astounds me.

When you are not at work, how do you relax?

Watching my two boys play rugby, spending time with friends, family days together, Oh and Gin!

What is your favourite place?

Home with my husband and three children. Working in the speciality I do, I appreciate just having my family to go home too and enjoying the basics.

Twitter/Facebook?
Yes have to keep up to date with my children.