Hospice asks service users to help shape future work

A HOSPICE is asking users of its palliative care and bereavement support, plus friends and relatives, to get in touch to improve the care it delivers.

It says these “experts by experience” can help it shape its future activities.

Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice supports families from every corner of the county from its specialist inpatient unit, its virtual day hospice service, hospice at home care in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury and family support service.

To help improve services, it is launching a service user participation group in the New Year, and hospice staff are keen to hear feedback from families who have been supported by the hospice.

Elise Hoadley, service director at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, said: “The people we support are at the heart of what we do and we are committed to ensuring that everyone who accesses Sue Ryder services is listened and responded to so that they receive high quality, personalised care.

“Our service users have a unique contribution to make as they are experts by experience in addition to the other skills, qualities or knowledge they have. We want their voices, experience and support to shape and direct our activity.”

The hospice hopes the group will help shape the support it gives and inform the recruitment of staff, and will result in service users working alongside staff to develop new services.

Jacky Stewart received support when her late husband, Ken, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015.

She assisted with the appointment of a new doctor for the hospice by sitting on the interview panel.

Jacky said: “When they called and said they were interviewing for a doctor’s position and would I like to come and help, of course I said yes.

“I felt like I was really making a difference to the hospice.”

For more information, email leckhampton@sueryder.org or call 01242 230199.