There when it matters most: Luca and the Pall24 helpline

Luca Copparoni is one of our nurses who answers calls to St Luke’s Pall24 helpline, a 24-hour advice line for patients, families and healthcare professionals across Harrow and Brent.

He speaks to people at some of the hardest moments of their lives, and he often hears how much the support means to them. But there is one message he will never forget.

It came from a woman he had supported who told him she had never been able to have children. In her card, she wrote that if she had ever had a son, she would have wished for him to be like Luca.

He still keeps the card next to him at work.

Luca would never make a fuss about it, but that message says a lot about how deeply that support can matter to people.

When people call the Pall24 helpline, Luca is one of the registered nurses who may answer. The service gives advice and support day and night to patients, families, GPs, paramedics, district nurses and community palliative nurses.

“Our main role is to make sure people get the best possible – gold standard – palliative care at home or in the community,” says Luca.

Many calls are about managing symptoms and medication, and making sure the right people are involved at the right time.

“Sometimes they just want to check a dose. Sometimes there are new symptoms, and we can involve the GP or community nurses if needed,” he says. “We are not prescribing, but we can still give advice.”

The team can also access local GP systems, which is especially helpful when paramedics are called to a patient’s home during the night.

“We try to respect the patient’s wish to be cared for at home and avoid hospital if it’s not needed,” Luca says. “That can really help families.”

Luca trained as a nurse in Italy in 2011 and came to the UK in 2013. Before registering here, he worked as a healthcare assistant while completing his UK registration. After working as a senior community nurse in Brent, where palliative care was already part of his role, he joined St Luke’s and has now been with the hospice for over three years.

“I realised how much support can really make a difference,” he says. “When I found this opportunity, I was very keen to start working with St Luke’s.”

For Luca, the most meaningful part of the job is what families say afterwards.

“They thank us for supporting them through the worst time of their lives and for helping to make things easier,” he says.

And sometimes, that thanks comes in the form of a card kept close by — a quiet reminder of why being there, when people need you most, matters so much.

Discover how you can support St Luke’s and services like our Pall24 helpline by visiting our Supporting us page.