02
Our
Services

In the world of healthcare in Scotland our hospice services play a crucial role in providing compassionate care and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses. Despite ongoing COVID challenges, we continued to expanded our community support, ensured in-patient safety with testing, PPE, and strict infection control, and built stronger connections with partners and stakeholders.

A Holistic Approach to Care

Palliative care is not just about treating physical symptoms; it is a holistic approach which extends to emotional, psychological, and spiritual support for patients and their families, wherever they are, to improve the quality of life of everybody we provide care to.

Shifting the Balance of Care

Part of our new strategic objective has meant offering a personalised and flexible approach to support, combining virtual and face-to-face interactions to cater to the individual needs and preferences for patients and their families. This unique blend ensures they have the freedom to choose how to access services while also enhancing the accessibility and efficiency of our care delivery.

Inpatient Care

Our Inpatient Care unit remains a key component of the care and support that we provide to the patients and families that use our services. Alongside a move towards supporting more families in their own homes and communities has been a continued commitment to providing inpatient services in our building in Edinburgh.

We are now providing a 15-bed inpatient model, which covers a mixture of single and shared rooms. Reducing bed numbers has allowed us to expand our Hospice at Home care across our community, whilst still providing an appropriate number of inpatient beds for those that require this kind of support. Throughout the year there were 295 admissions to our inpatient unit, a 20% increase in admissions compared to the previous year despite a reduction in overall bed numbers. We are also now able to transfer patients to a from the Hospice using our new patient transport vehicle which enables swift and comfortable transfers.

Inpatient care often goes alongside community support as part of the package of care we provide or may be an acute referral from a hospital or care setting. These beds, and the team that support patients in the Hospice, remain a core part of what we do, and we know from feedback from patients and families that these services are highly valued and play an essential role for many at the end of life.

Embracing Change and Innovation

Our ability to adapt to the evolving needs of the community through our strategy “Adapting to a Changing World.” By prioritising developments that shift the focus from inpatient care to community-based services, we have managed to increase the number of people we supports by 48% across all clinical services. Integrating new technologies has enabled a hybrid working model for staff and greater flexibility for service users.

Expanding Community Support

Hospice at Home, formerly known as Community Services, is a testament to our commitment to supporting individuals at the end of their lives in their own homes. In the past year, Hospice at Home supported 365 people in their homes when they died, reflecting a 40% increase from the previous year and a significant 159% increase since the launch of the current strategy. This expansion is supported by a growing team of clinical specialists and staff nurses, highlighting our commitment to allocating resources where they are most needed.

Addressing the Growing Need for Bereavement Support

Patient and Family Support Services, previously known as Family Support Services, have seen a surge in demand due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The team has responded by offering virtual and face-to-face support to cater to individual preferences. Notably, the number of adult referrals has increased by 45%, and the number of counselling sessions has risen by 38%. The hospice has also taken an innovative approach by launching the Wellbeing Service, which can be delivered through local community collaborations, ensuring accessibility for all.