St Bernard’s to train care-givers
EAST LONDON’S oldest hospice, St Bernard’s, has been accredited as a training site for palliative care.
This also means the “five star” hospice will become a training partner of the Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA).
St Bernard’s core business is to improve the quality of life of patients and families facing death from chronic illness, through both pain prevention and relief.
Last week (May 6-13) was Hospice Week (6-13 May), which was used to dispel stereotypes such as a hospice as a place where people go to die.
The hospice has already begun training staff members of other health focused NGOS, TB hospitals and old age homes in palliative care.
They received the accreditation because of their five-star status, awarded for the past two years.
“We have highly qualified staff, sufficient resources, great leadership, diversity of services and after 21 years of palliative care-giving the standard of service we offer is very high.
“We are confident we will make an incredible contribution to those who give care to patients,” said Rene Wienekus, St Bernard’s CEO.
Established in April 1991 as a family organisation, St Bernard’s has grown into a professional, non-profit business with 600 patients and 64 staffers.
“We are a non-profit organisation and 98% of our patients cannot afford the care we provide. We do not turn any patient away,” said Wienekus, who has been in charge for eleven years.
But funding remains a challenge. St Bernard’s primarily relies (eight in-patients) professional on funders, with the provincial health department being their biggest individual sponsor.
However, the department’s grant only covers about 14% of the hospice’s total budget and is specifically for HIV/AIDS homebased care-giving.
“We have had some really generous funders but funders’ areas of interest change.
“We are diversifying our services and increasing our scope of care-giving, so we are constantly looking for new funding.”
The hospice recently hired two fundraisers to enable them to give critically needed care to the East London community and surrounding areas.
In the spirit of partnerships, the hospice has arranged all care-givers who work in areas that are crime-infested are escorted by members of the police forum, a strategic partner that has made their work safe.
The hospice has joined forces with the national government in focusing vigorously on primary health care. They also incorporate saving water, sanitation, recycling and going green in their programmes. — nandiphak@dispatch.co.za