She joined ellenor in 2018 from North East London NHS Foundation Trust, where she was Assistant Director.
With over 35 years’ experience in healthcare, Vikki worked as a nurse consultant specialising in respiratory care of patients with lung diseases. ellenor’s Chair of Trustees, Roger Wedderburn-Day, said: “We are delighted that Vikki has agreed to lead ellenor. She has had an excellent year as interim CEO, and has exciting plans to develop the organisation.”
Vikki said: “I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to lead ellenor in what will be the next exciting stage of our development.
“Working with all our partners as interim CEO has given me a powerful insight into what we must focus on to support our community.”
This includes development of the Gravesend Wellbeing Centre.
“Demand for our services is ever increasing,” she added.
“As a result, we have reached a point where our facilities are restricting us from providing outstanding care.
“We need to extend and redevelop our hospice building.”
The hospice has received a donation of £2million from the Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust, which had already given ellenor the land the hospice is built on. Colyer-Fergusson Chief Executive Jacqueline Rae said: “A crucial part of ellenor’s work is to provide holistic care, enabling patients to be able to live as well as they can for as long as they can by offering physical, emotional and spiritual support.
“Colyer-Fergusson celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, and as part of our celebrations we wanted to give grants to good causes, and ellenor is very special to us.
“This funding will help ellenor create a bright and spacious Wellbeing Centre, offering a broader range of therapeutic activities tailored to patient needs.”
It will also increase accessibility for people using wheelchairs or other mobility equipment, and allow younger and older patients to come together in a safe space.
In addition, ellenor aims to provide single en-suite rooms, an improved café and landscaped gardens, and is looking to raise an additional £4.9million to complete the improvements.
