| Sally Campalani |
 Sally Campalani trained as a nurse in Belfast in the 1970s. She did an experimental shortened course and qualified after three
and a half years as an RGN with first line management and an orthopaedic speciality. She then went to London and found a job
in orthopaedics at the Princess Grace Hospital. From there she moved into cardio-thoracic surgery and was appointed to a Director
of Nursing post at a small hospital performing open heart surgery. She then met her husband and over the next few years moved
back and forth between Italy and England to follow his career. Sally worked for 5 years in Harley Street in different positions
including Nurse Bank Co-ordinator for the 300 bank nurses in Harley Street. She was then asked to commission a new cardio-thoracic
hospital in Calcutta, India. Upon completion she joined her husband in Italy. Her reputation in cardiac work led to her being
asked to commission a new intensive care unit in cardiac and casualty. She then became involved with the European Resuscitation
Council and secured a two year grant to study problems associated with cardiac arrest. Afterwards she worked as a consultant
for various hospitals which led to another request to help commission a new cardiac palliative care and neuro-motor rehabilitation
unit. Having very little knowledge of palliative care, she went to the Institute of Milan and afterwards was asked to stay
on as Director of Nursing. After two years she returned to Northern Ireland where she worked as a waitress for three months
before applying for the post of Clinical Services Manager at the Marie Curie Centre, Belfast, in 1997. Sally talks a little
about the history of the Centre before moving on to discuss her own role, particularly the changes she has introduced. She
also talks about the reaction of the other staff to these initiatives; the main problems she has encountered; the work of
the Marie Curie Nurses and the Centre’s Home Care Nurses; the advantages and disadvantages of being part of a wider organisation;
the geographical separation of Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK; their relationship with the other hospices in the
Province and the impact of the religious and political situation in Northern Ireland. Sally ends by talking about what she
feels the future holds for the Centre.
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| Interview conducted by Clare Humphreys, 7 August 2000 |
| Interview Duration: 40 minutes |
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