St. Luke’s Hospice (Basildon and District) has been recognised at the prestigious Palliative and End of Life Care Awards – winning The Innovation in End of Life Social Care Award and receiving a High Commendation for the Hospice’s Bedside Companions volunteer scheme.
The national innovation award recognised the Hospice’s Clinical Outpatients Service, celebrating its pioneering approach to palliative care and the positive impact it has on patients.
Clinical Outpatients provides key clinical procedures to all those in South-West Essex who have been diagnosed or are living with a life changing or life-limiting illness. Offering convenient and accessible, specialist palliative care and key clinical procedures in a relaxed environment, the Clinical Outpatients service can meet a patient’s wellbeing and lifestyle needs. This could mean an early appointment to fit in with work commitments, or at a time to maintain arrangements with friends and family.
Judges praised the team’s passion, and the warm and supportive environment created for patients and their families.
In addition, St. Luke’s Hospice received a High Commendation for its Bedside Companions volunteer scheme. The programme trains and supports Bedside Companion Volunteers, who provide emotional support, companionship, and a comforting presence during a patients stay.
Feedback from patients, families, staff, and volunteers highlights the scheme’s therapeutic benefits, its positive impact on patient experience, and its role in supporting the work of the multidisciplinary care team. It has also introduced meaningful new roles for volunteers and demonstrated the powerful contribution of community support in end-of-life care.
Joanne McCollum, Director of Care and Commissioning and Caldicott Guardian at St. Luke’s Hospice, said: “I am absolutely delighted that our Hospice has received these two prestigious accolades at the recent National Palliative and End of Life Care awards.
“Our Clinical Outpatients service winning the award for Innovation in End of Life Care recognises the amazing work our team has done in creating a specialist, dynamic, flexible and compassionate service for people requiring clinical outpatient interventions such as infusions and blood transfusions.
“To be Highly Commended in the Outstanding Volunteer category for our Bedside Companions volunteers within our In-patient units was truly fantastic and recognises the role that our wonderful volunteers have in supporting people receiving end of life care. I am and continue to be so very proud of our teams.”
The Palliative and End of Life Care awards are organised by Care Talk magazine. This year the awards were hosted by broadcaster and TV presenter Kate Garraway.
If you would like to find out more about St. Luke’s Hospice, please visit the website www.stlukeshospice.com
Image attached: Pictured L-R Sharon Quinn from St. Luke’s Hospice, host Kate Garraway and Mel Costin from St. Luke’s Hospice
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About St. Luke’s Hospice
St. Luke’s Hospice is a local charity providing compassionate care to people whose illnesses are no longer curable. We promote dignity in dying and empower people to make the choices they want from the moment they are diagnosed.
Our care considers people’s medical, spiritual and emotional needs, including support for loved ones and carers. Anyone living in Basildon and district can call on us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Working alongside healthcare professionals, our specialist services are available at the Hospice, out in the community or in a person’s own home.
We are a charity and the services we provide are free. We rely on voluntary income from local people to deliver the care they deserve. To find out more, visit the St. Luke’s Hospice website at www.stlukeshospice.com.
Registered charity number 289466
St. Luke’s Hospice Basildon and District
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