News from Hospice UK

Bernadette Baxter was the first person to be appointed at St Catherine’s Hospice in Preston when it opened in 1985, initially working in day therapy and the inpatient unit before becoming a Physician Assistant. After spending 36 years at the hospice she recently retired, and here she reflects on how hospice care has changed in the last three decades.

While Mother’s Day is a lovely celebration for many, it can cause a tidal wave of grief for those who have lost their own mother figure, or for mothers who have lost a baby or child. Over the last year in particular many more people have lost their mother, grandmother, stepmother, or other mother figure to COVID-19, along with other reasons. Here bereavement counsellors from Treetops Hospice Care in Derbyshire share advice on how to cope with the loss of a mother figure at this time.

Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) have published a manifesto for children’s hospice care in Scotland ahead of the parliamentary elections in May.

Steph Edusei, CEO of St Oswald’s Hospice in Newcastle, tells us about overcoming impostor syndrome, allyship and innovation.

Ranjita Sen is the Director of Applications Support, Performance & Information at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. She first heard about her local hospice in Essex when she was given the charity’s Christmas calendar, and has since become more and more involved with them over the years. Here she tells us why she’s gone from volunteering on reception to becoming a trustee.

Saint Francis Hospice has set up a new project to make sure that people experiencing homelessness in the local community can access end of life care.

Death and dying have never been higher on the public’s agenda than through the Covid-19 pandemic. Hospice UK is calling on the next Welsh Government to ensure that care for people experiencing death, dying and bereavement is at the top of their agenda too, by committing to reach every child and adult with a palliative care need.

Ni fu marwolaeth a marw erioed yn uwch ar agenda'r cyhoedd na thrwy bandemig Covid-19. Mae Hospice UK yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru nesaf i sicrhau bod gofal i bobl sy'n profi marwolaeth, marw a phrofedigaeth ar frig eu hagenda nhw hefyd, trwy ymrwymo i gyrraedd pob plentyn ac oedolyn ag angen gofal lliniarol.

As Scotland gears up for its elections this May, we have a chance to reflect and learn from COVID – and to ask how we can become a nation where everyone experiencing death, dying and bereavement receives the care and support they need.

Delia and Peggy met when they were matched by St Clare Hospice’s Compassionate Neighbours project. Due to Covid-19 restrictions they got to know each other over the phone, but thanks to the scheme volunteer Delia brought friendship into Peggy’s life before she died.