Reflecting with Dr Michael Minton

“I joined in 1988 as Dr Robert Twycross began dividing his time between teaching, research, and the hospice, while I took over leading the clinical service full-time.

What stands out from that period is the team. I had worked in the NHS for many years before coming to Sobell House, and the atmosphere here was completely different. There was genuine respect between professions – doctors, nurses, social workers, therapists, and volunteers all working together.

Visitors noticed it immediately. I remember a doctor who visited about 25 years ago. She later became a professor in Delhi and often spoke about how inspired she had been by the way the team worked together.

Volunteers were central to hospice life. One memorable feature was the drinks trolley, which I hear is still in use today! Volunteers would take drinks around the ward, creating moments of conversation. We also had remarkable colleagues in areas like bereavement support, helping develop services that would later influence work far beyond the hospice.

When people ask how you can work in a hospice every day, the answer is that sense of purpose. There was always something positive we could offer. Looking back now, working at Sobell House was the most rewarding part of my career.”