Esther Rantzen CBE, journalist, television presenter and a patron of the Iain Rennie Hospice at Home spent a day visiting patients with IRHH nurse, Gerrie Smithson, on Saturday 19th August 2006.

Esther was keen to find out more about how hospice care at home works as dying at home had emerged as significant theme from her BBC2 programme "How To Have A Good Death". The documentary, which was broadcast in March, explored the world of palliative care in Britain 's hospitals.

Esther visited three patients who were receiving care from the IRHH's Dacorum nursing team and took time to find out about their different experiences during their illnesses. One patient, Joe Darnell of Hemel Hempstead , described the various ways in which he had been helped by the IRHH nurses after he was discharged following a stay of several weeks in hospital. Simple assistance with managing medication, dealing with troublesome symptoms and getting pain under control had brought a dramatic improvement to his quality of life since his return home. The knowledge that an Iain Rennie nurse was always just a phone call away and able to visit within half an hour if there was an urgent problem, was reassuring and had given him and his the family the confidence to support him in his resolve to remain at home. When asked by Esther if he had any complaints, Joe said, "The nurses are marvellous, I have no complaints at all."