Cash will allow virtual visiting for hospice patients
Rutherglen and Cambuslang’s hospice has received a £10,000 cash injection to help ensure that in-patients can remain in contact with their loved ones who are unable to visit them during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kilbryde Hospice as been awarded the £10,000 grant from the Scottish Government Wellbeing Fund to allow it to further develop virtual models of care and support.
Since March, Kilbryde Hospice’s number one priority has been for everyone who relies on daily care and support to be able to access what they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the pandemic has progressed, the vital services the hospice delivers has had to remain resilient and it has had to find alternative ways of delivering the support patients and service users receive.
Kilbryde’s clinical services manager, Margaret Mary Cowan, explained: “Following Scottish Government guidelines, due to COVID-19, our day service was suspended in its usual format in March 2020.
“We have continued to support the patients and families in our care by phone/video link over the last few months, which has been very well received. The hospice has had to redesign all our out-patients’services, as patients and service users are unable to come to our hospice building at this time.
“We are thankful of the Scottish Government Wellbeing grant and it could not have been received at a better time, as this month has seen the implementation of our ‘virtual’day service. This programme embraces an enablement model of patient-centred care focussing on increasing confidence and promoting independence.
“We may not be able to add days to our patients’lives, but our aim is to add life to our patients’days.”
Hospice chief executive, Gordon McHugh, added:“We deliver care across South Lanarkshire, which includes some areas of deprivation. The Wellbeing Grant will allow us to purchase in the region of 21 Android tablets with SIM cards that will allow equal access to all patients, regardless of their personal circumstances.
“Due to the restrictions on visiting to our in-patient unit, we also envisage purchasing additional tablets for our in-patients to be in contact with their loved ones.”