Category: Hospice News

St Barnabas Hospice seeks to break down the taboo surrounding death and help the local community plan for the end of life

St Barnabas Hospice will be supporting Dying Matters Week with a drop-in session to encourage people to have ‘The Big Conversation’ in Grantham.

The event will be held at their site on Barrowby Road on Tuesday 10th May, from 12pm – 2pm and is free and open to all.

Local residents are encouraged to come along to have open and honest conversations about dying, death and bereavement and to make their wishes known to family and friends.

Mandy Irons, General Manager South for St Barnabas Hospice, said:

“Every minute someone in the UK dies, but many of us still do not feel comfortable talking about dying. It is our aim to provide a safe haven where having these conversations are encouraged and can be explored.

“It is important to remember that you don’t have to be ill or dying to talk about dying or to put plans in place. In fact, in our experience it is better to have these conversations when you are well to avoid making them when it is too late.

“Talking more openly about dying can help you to make the most of life and to better support our loved ones when death has an impact on their lives. Talking openly makes for a healthier and happier community.”

The drop-in session will be attended by representatives from Ringrose Law, Geesons Funeral Directors and St Barnabas Hospice staff who can offer free advice on how to get your end of life plans in place.

Conversations will take place over speciality teas supplied by The Teaspoon Tea Company and freshly made cakes, all free of charge.

Mandy concludes: “Getting the conversation started can sometimes be difficult but we find that once it has started people have very strong opinions. It is important that people communicate their views to ensure their end of life wishes are met.

“We understand that talking about dying may not be easy but we hope that we can support people to have these conversations, not only during Dying Matters Week, but throughout the year.”

Emma Warner, Specialist Nurse Practitioner for St Barnabas Hospice

St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice are encouraging the Boston and Spalding community’s to talk openly about death, dying and bereavement

St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice has announced plans to host a series of activities in Boston and Spalding during Dying Matters Awareness Week.

The annual awareness week, which runs from 9 to 15 May, urges people to talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement and make plans for the end of life.

Emma Warner, a Specialist Nurse Practitioner from the local community will be facilitating a story-time with nursery children, hosting a stall in the town centre and encouraging the ‘Big conversation’ at a cheese and wine evening.

Emma said: “We have a whole host of events planned throughout the week and we are hoping that there will be something to appeal to all ages within our community. We really want to encourage everyone to start having open and honest conversations about what is important to them in life and death.

“Asa hospice it is our responsibility to help facilitate these conversations and provide an environment where it is OK to explore the many facets associated with what is often a taboo subject.

“The story time at the nursey allows for social change to be driven from a young age and helps to educate our children that death is as much about life as being born. Having honest but appropriate conversations with people of all ages is vital in helping to shape the perceptions of our future generations.”

During the week St Barnabas Hospice will be encouraging people in Boston and Spalding to join their county-wide initiative to create ‘Lincolnshire’s Big Bucket List’ and share their hopes and dreams.

Emma concludes: “We hope that the events we have planned during Dying Matters Awareness Week will help to break down the barriers which are often associated with this sensitive subject.

“We are aiming to get as many people as possible to have conversations about dying, death and bereavement and that our events will prompt them to continue these conversations when they return home.”

The timetable of events:

Monday 9th May

• 10am – 3pm Awareness stand at Asda, Lister Way, Boston PE21 8EQ

Tuesday 10th May

• 9am – 3pm Awareness stand with Butterfly Hospice Trust at Johnson Hospital, Spalding Road, Pinchbeck PE11 3DT

• Storytime at a nursery in Boston

• 6.30pm – 9pm Cheese and Wine evening, Green Lane, Boston PE21 9NB

Wednesday 11th May

• 9am – 4pm Awareness stand with Butterfly Hospice Trust at Pescod Square, Boston PE21 6QX

Thursday 12th May

• 10am – 12noon Day Therapy social group, Boston Hospice, Green Lane, Off Red Cap Lane PE21 9NB

Friday 13th May

• 10am – 4pm Awareness stand with Butterfly Hospice Trust at Pilgrim Hospital, Sibsey Road, Boston PE21 9QS

Saturday 14th May

• 8am – 4pm Market Stall at Boston Market

The Colour Dash proves its growing popularity after it sells out with less than three weeks to go

St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice has announced that they have sold all 3,500 of its places ahead of the Colour Dash on Saturday 14th May.

The Colour Dash, held at the Lincolnshire Showground, is a fun run which will see participants take on a 5k course lined with paint stations. At each kilometre runners will be splattered from head to toe in environmentally friendly powdered paint.

Becky Otter, Event Manager for St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice, said:

“Last year Lincolnshire’s first ever Colour Dash raised more than £100,000 for hospice care and was a huge hit with people of all ages. This year we opened up the event to an additional 1,000 participants and we are delighted to have sold-out!

“The event has a brilliantly upbeat atmosphere and a real sense of euphoria from all those that take part. People take part for all sorts of reasons, to remember a loved one, to have fun with their mates or to take on a personal challenge.

“People have been signing up for this event in flurries from the very beginning and we are still getting enquiries from people now. Unfortunately all the spaces are full so we are now turning people away.”

The run was organised in partnership with local events supplier, Running Imp and support has also been received from Western Power Distribution, who have been named as headline sponsors.

The Colour Dash is set to be the biggest event the charity has ever hosted with the largest turnout and largest pledged sponsorship.

Becky said: “We hate to turn people away from any event but due to health and safety we have to ensure that we do not exceed this capacity.

“With less than three weeks to go until the big day now is the time for people to push their sponsorship and online giving pages. Every penny raised from this event will help thousands of people receive the care they need, every day of the year.”

Spectators are invited to come along to the Lincolnshire Showground and cheer on the 3,500 entrants. There is ample free onsite parking.

The Angel Coffee House on Free School Lane in Lincoln. Photography courtesy of Steven Haddock.

Death and dying are very much on the menu at Lincoln’s first ever Death Café

St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice has today (Tuesday April 26) unveiled plans to host Lincoln’s first ever Death Café where members of the public can gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death.

The Death Café will be held on Sunday 15th May, from 3 – 5pm, at The Angel Coffee House on Free School Lane in Lincoln. The event aims to stimulate conversation about death and dying.

Michelle Webb, Director of Patient Care at St Barnabas Hospice, said:

“Talking about death, dying and bereavement is a subject that many people can find challenging. In many ways, it has become a modern taboo with people desperately avoiding their own mortality.

“What we are hoping to do is help to change social attitudes towards death and dying and provide a safe haven where talking about death is encouraged.

“It is our view that having open and honest conversations will mean that we are all better equipped to support each other when death has an impact on our lives.”

A Death Café is a group-directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session.

The Angel Coffee House will also be hosting a collection of artwork from local artists which depict the topics of death and dying. The artwork will be on display from Monday 9th May for one week.

Michelle said:

“Death Café really isn’t as morbid as it may sound and its premise is to provide an environment where the important topic of death can be broached without judgement.

“Death can bring up many questions, opinions and feelings and with this in mind our professional counsellors will be in attendance to provide additional support or help if anyone should need it.

“Death Café is a new concept for us and we are looking forward to exploring the many topics that may arise from what constitutes a “good” death, to how someone would like to be remembered to the song they’d like playing at their funeral.”

The Death Café movement was started by Jon Underwood in London in 2011 and since then thousands of Death Cafes have been held across Europe, North America, and Australasia.

Death Café is being held on the last day of Dying Matters Week, which runs from 9th – 15th May. The annual campaign urges people to talk more openly about death, dying and bereavement and make plans for the end of life.

St Barnabas Hospice will also host a second Death Café at Three Counties Deli and Coffee Shop in Long Sutton on Thursday 12th May, from 7 – 9pm.

For more information about Death Café or to reserve your seat at the table contact 01522 559 504 or email marketing@stbarnabashospice.co.uk or sign up to the event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1601114136874462/

The team at the hospice on Nettleham Road unveil the new-look branding

A new-look is unveiled for Lincolnshire’s leading palliative care provider

Local independent charity St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice has refreshed its brand as it looks to raise awareness of the range of life limiting illnesses they are able to support and boost donations.

The refresh has seen a change in the visual identity of the logo, which will act as a signpost for all the work the hospice is involved in. The new logo includes the familiar colour pallet of blue and yellow, harnessing the charity’s reputation and heritage while modernising their overall look.

The logo carries an emblem featuring a yellow heart at the centre of its design, reflecting the care the hospice provides to patients and their families and to symbolise that people are at the heart of their organisation.

The charity’s core values of hospice, care and support are now present alongside the brand logo to underpin the work of the hospice. These values were derived from extensive market research involving internal focus groups and external surveys.

Veronica Brien, Head of Fundraising and Marketing for St Barnabas, said:

“The more we talked to our existing and potential patients the more clear it became that they didn’t understand the range of services we had to offer or the range of conditions we could support.

“The refresh stemmed from the continued expansion of our hospice services which has seen the overhaul of Day Therapy, the introduction of hospice care in a patients own home and the support of patients in acute hospital beds.

“The new branding helps to better communicate our positioning as a leading palliative care provider committed to supporting and caring for our patients and their families. It will also help us to continue our awareness raising about the range of life limiting illnesses we are able to care for ranging from cancer, to lung and heart conditions, to dementia.

“To be able to grow as a charity we need to be clear about what we do, who we care for and how our supporters can get involved in delivering specialist end of life care.”

Work on the brand refresh began last year when St Barnabas Hospice overhauled their photography to focus on a using photo’s that portrayed real patients being cared for in their preferred place of care.

Veronica said: “The refresh will impact our logo, tone of voice, key messages, colour pallet and photography, all of which are vitally important in helping to better engage with our community, from medical professionals to patients and our volunteers.”

In the past two years St Barnabas Hospice has seen a significant increase in the number of people accessing their services from 5,800 at the beginning of 2014 to 9,000 by the end of last year.

With an ageing and growing population the demand for hospice services is expected to significantly grow and this has impacted the charity’s fundraising targets which now surpasses £4 million.

Veronica added: “The brand refresh will help us to better communicate with our supporters about how they can get involved, whether they act as ambassadors, raise funds or volunteer. It is important that our community understand how they can help drive forward palliative care services across the whole of Lincolnshire.”

The refresh was undertaken by Ruddocks, a local design and print company, who donated their time and expertise to refresh the brand free of charge. They will continue to work with the hospice to roll-out the new look across all hospice sites and their marketing materials.

Paul Banton, Managing Director at Ruddocks, said:

“We are delighted to have been involved in the re-branding of such a recognisable, worthwhile and vital charity. Working with the team at St Barnabas has given us a real insight into the work they do and the level of care & services they provide. It is both a pleasure and honour to have been able to help in some small way. We hope the new brand helps widen awareness for what St Barnabas do and the vital role they fulfil to Lincolnshire families.”

Professor Manami Hori from Tokai University Kanagawa, Japan

Professor Hori will tour the hospice sites in Lincoln and Grantham to research best practice in palliative and end-of-life care

Professor Manami Hori from Tokai University Kanagawa, Japan will be visiting St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice on 16th March to see first-hand quality palliative and end-of-life care in action.

Professor Hori is visiting the UK on a fact finding tour to research how care for older people is integrated, particularly between health and social care. She is developing an academic argument that quality palliative and end-of-life care is a key part for the successful development of sustainable integrated health and social care system.

Chris Wheway, Chief Executive at St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice, said:

“We are honoured to welcome Professor Hori to St Barnabas and share what we do and influence thinking around palliative and end-of-life care in an international context. This is an opportunity for us to share our core values and our vision for hospice care.

“Professor Hori will be visiting our sites in Lincoln and Grantham where she will meet with our specialist health care professionals and gain a deeper understanding of how we work as a team and as a care system.”

Professor Hori specializes in Health and Social Care Policy, Health System Management, Welfare and Public Policy in Japan. Her recent research has included;

• Comparative health and social policy for the elderly of UK and Japan (especially interested in long term care, end of care, integrate care for the elderly with dementia)

• Public and private Partnership in health and social care system. (Welfare Mix)

• Factor analysis of health expenditure and long term care expenditure

• Insurer function in public health insurance and managed competition (Internal Market)

• Sustainability of social security system under aging society

• Study on UK policies for delayed discharge and intermediate care

Professor Hori has published in excess of 100 academic papers and 5 books, her latest book ‘UK Healthcare Policy Reform and Integrated Care Systems’ is about to be published.

She is a senior advisor to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and sits on a number of prestigious committees including ‘Japan Vision 2035’. She is Executive Director at Tokai University.

Warwick Davis is taken on a tour of the Hospice in the Hospital

Staff and patients at Lincolnshire’s first Hospice in the Hospital have celebrated its official opening

On Thursday 21st January, renowned actor Warwick Davis performed the official opening of the new purpose designed £1.2 million unit within Grantham and District Hospital.

The famous actor was honoured to open the new unit and captivated staff and patients with his motivational speech, before unveiling the new plaque and declaring the unit open.

He said: “It is a great honour to be asked here to open this pioneering hospice in the hospital which is providing the benchmark for palliative care across the country. After speaking with the patients here, it is clear how important a unit like this is.

“It really is great to be here and be part of history in the making by declaring this facility open.”

The official opening was staged by St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and South West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, who have pooled their expertise in a unique partnership to create the ground-breaking six-bedded unit.

Since it opened its doors in September 2014, the Hospice in the Hospital has cared for more than 221 patients – saving them and their family and friends a 60-mile round journey to currently the county’s only inpatient unit at Nettleham Road, Lincoln.

Warwick was impressed with the palliative care facilities within the Hospice in the Hospital.

He said: “Not only are they being cared for in a state of the art facility they are also given access to the specialist care they deserve. The attention to detail in this unit is incredible and the quality of care they are receiving is second to none.”

Michelle Webb, Director of Patient Care at St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice, said:

“We are delighted that Warwick has been able to open this unique unit for us. This partnership provides an innovative approach to providing hospice care locally and has benefited many patients and their families in our community.”

The Hospice in the Hospital harnesses the very latest thinking and research, putting the project at the forefront of best practice to improve end-of-life care across South West Lincolnshire.

Dr David Baker, Chair of The Executive Committee, South West Lincolnshire CCG, said:

“For us to get Warwick to open this ground breaking unit today has been a real coup. The close working relationship between the parties has meant that the unit has quickly been recognised as the way forward for the delivery of palliative care. The unit is already receiving very high praise from the many patients and their families who have used the facilities.”

Mandy Charles, Matron at Grantham and District Hospital, said:

“We are delighted to be able to officially open the unit. We are all very proud of how the hospice in a hospital is working. It brings together expertise from the community and the hospital in partnership working to provide the best care to patients and their families in a unique way. We have been upheld as leaders in the field and recognised at a national level which is fantastic for the staff and patients of Grantham and District hospital.”

Stamford hospice at home team are relocating from Stamford hospital to the purpose-built office space above the charity’s shop in Bourne.

The relocation comes after Stamford Hospital revealed their plans to make changes to the hospital site. The move to the Bourne shop is the first time that St Barnabas has used one of its 25 shops to support their care services.

Michelle Webb, Director of Patient Care for St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice, said:

“Working in partnership with our shops department provides an innovative approach to greater joint working within the Trust. It also allows us to put our nursing expertise on the high street and will help to increase the local community focus.

“We are hoping that the convenient location will mean that our team will be able to support members of the public directly and will offer an increased choice of services including welfare and benefits advice and support from the family support services team.”

The existing team will be working from the new site from December 2015. The Bourne location will also act as a ‘hot desk’ for other health and social care professionals and will support collaboration of palliative care services in the local community.

Michelle said: “Patient care will continue to be our priority and the move to Bourne will not change this. Our nurses will still be caring for the same patients in the same area and access to our services will greatly improve.

“We always welcome ways to work differently and more effectively and this venture offers the opportunity for further innovation in the community.”

The new telephone number for the Stamford Hospice at Home team is: 01778 394324 and Fax No: 01778 420707

Breaking new ground…the St Barnabas team at Louth Hospice is reaching out into the community to give East Lindsey its biggest say in how end-of-life care is provided to a growing number of people with life-limiting illnesses in the future.

East Lindsey is to be given its biggest ever say in how the growing number of people living with life-limiting illnesses will be cared for in the future

St Barnabas Hospice today (Wednesday November 25) unveiled plans to launch a major listening campaign across the district so its 140,000 residents have an opportunity to share in, and shape, a new and ground-breaking approach to end-of-life care.

The community’s feedback will play a key role in the charity’s delivery of an action plan that will also act as a trailblazer for taking forward palliative care services across the whole of Lincolnshire.

St Barnabas is the principal provider of end-of-life care across East Lindsey and has run Louth Hospice on Grimsby Road since it first opened its doors to clients more than two years ago. It is one of the Mayor of Louth’s three chosen charities for the year.

Its Chief Executive, Chris Wheway, said: “This initiative heralds the start of an exciting new era for East Lindsey. We want its community to join us at the very beginning of our journey to invest, improve and innovate in an unprecedented way.

“Drawing upon the skills of our staff – including our specialist team of doctors, nurses and other health professionals – as well as our army of volunteers, we are determined to break new ground in the way we provide services.

“This will enable us to stay at the forefront of best clinical practice in meeting the wishes of our patients and their families, amid an ever-increasing need.

“With its fast-growing and ageing population, this is particularly the case in East Lindsey. Here, we are rising to this immense challenge by developing an ambitious plan designed to accelerate the improvements that local people tell us they wish to see.”

This will include building on the development of services for those with non-cancer conditions, including the frail, elderly and the increasing number of people living with dementia; and St Barnabas turning its Louth Hospice base into a community hub where local groups can meet – all part of a wider plan help break down the barriers of social isolation and improve well-being.

It is also keen to explore people’s views on the potential role of new and assistive technology to enhance their care, as well as sound them out about its idea for creating a “Hospice in a Care Home” service. This is in response to research which reveals that East Lindsey has three times the number of people living in care homes – one of the highest ratios in the UK.

In addition to engaging with local people at events that will be staged in the heart of the community, St Barnabas aims to work with a range of partners, such as East Lindsey District Council, the local NHS, and charities such as Marie Curie and Dementia Action Alliance, to finalise the way forward.

Councillor Craig Leyland, Leader of East Lindsey District Council, said the initiative would pool the expertise of all the key providers of health and social care.

“I am delighted that the community will be at the forefront of this forward thinking, adding a unique and very personalised dimension to the way we develop our plans,” he said.

“All the partners involved share a strong track record for innovation and joint working, creating the ideal platform on which to progress this new work.”

Chairman of St Barnabas Hospice, Robert Neilans, said: “As well as a caring organisation, we are also a listening one.

“This is all about hearing and capturing the community’s views first-hand, so we understand better what it is that would make a real and positive difference to people’s lives. It is not about what we think they may want or need.

“And we know from what people have told us already that it can also sometimes be the simple things in life – like a pub lunch – that can make a huge impact.”

He added: “It will ensure that all the initiatives we adopt complement each other, and make every Pound of support we receive go as far as possible by not duplicating or wasting these precious resources.”

St Barnabas will be staging its own dedicated listening events, as well as linking into other community meetings arranged by its partners, such as the council, that would lend themselves to the exercise.

The first events are planned for early in the New Year and details of dates, times and venues will be shared soon. Residents who cannot attend will be able to share their experiences and put forward their ideas in a series of other options made available.

Hundreds of local residents gathered together to remember their loved ones in annual celebration

St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice has raised more than £32,000 in memory of loved ones after they welcomed more than 1,500 people to their Light Up a Life event in Lincoln.

The 15th annual celebration was held on Tuesday 24th November and began with an open service at Our Lady of Lincoln Church followed by a flaming torchlight procession through Uphill Lincoln to the Cathedral.

Becky Otter, Event Manager for St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have raised such an amazing amount from our Light Up a Life campaign in Lincoln. Our supporters are always so generous and their donations will make a real difference to our patients and their families this Christmas.”

The procession was led by RAF Waddington Pipe Band and followed by members of the Army Cadet Choral Band. The procession was greeted by songs from a choir before the Tree of Life lights were switched on. People were then invited to tie messages of love to the railings surrounding the tree before coming together again to enjoy mulled wine and soup.

Becky Otter said:

“It was stunning to see over 1,000 lights shining brightly on our Tree of Life, each one dedicated to the life of someone special who is no longer with us. It is heartwarming to see so many people honouring the memories of those they have loved.

“Light Up a Life is the perfect opportunity for people to come together and remember loved ones in a positive way whilst finding comfort in each other. It is truly a special evening that will remain a firm favourite in our hospice calendar.”