Tracey Bleakley (second left) meets with the team at the ‘Hospice in the Hospital’
St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice praised by Hospice UK CEO after visit to ground-breaking ‘Hospice in the Hospital’
Tracey Bleakley, the CEO of Hospice UK today praised St Barnabas Hospice for their pioneering approach to end-of-life care and the difference it makes to patients and their families.
This morning Tracey who leads the national charity representing hospices, visited the innovative ‘hospice in the hospital’ and praised its approach to patient experience.
The purpose designed £1.2 million six-bedded community hospice opened in September 2014 as part of a joint venture between St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, and Lincolnshire South West Clinical Commissioning Group.
Chris Wheway, Chief Executive for St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“It is a real honour to be recognised as leaders in our field by the national charity for hospice care and to work with them to share our expertise and knowledge to further support the development of palliative and end-of-life care.
“The hospice in the hospital perfectly demonstrates that when organisations work collaboratively the service a patient and their family receive is greatly enhanced. This partnership allows for us to widen local access and offer those in the community with a life-limiting illness a choice of where and how they want to die.”
The unit at Grantham and District Hospital is the first of its kind in the UK, providing care to patients under the responsibility of GPS but with access to hospital nurses, doctors and therapists.
It harnesses the very latest thinking and research, putting the project at the forefront of best practice by adopting a novel approach to design to improve end-of-life care across South West Lincolnshire.
Cathie Alcock, sister of the hospice for United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said:
“As the Sister of this wonderful facility it is a real honour and privilege to not only work in such beautiful surroundings, but also in being able to care for the many patients and their families and friends who have passed through our doors since we opened. The feedback that we have received from users of the unit and the local community have all been really positive and encouraging.”
Since it opened its doors in September 2014, the ‘hospice in the hospital’ has cared for more than 260 patients – saving them and their families a 60-mile round trip to what was the county’s only inpatient unit at Nettleham Road, Lincoln.
Dr David Baker, Chair of The Executive Committee, South West Lincolnshire CCG, said:
“For Tracey to visit and recognise the work that has been undertaken at this ground breaking unit has been a fantastic achievement. 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.”