Annual Report

On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is a pleasure to present our latest annual report, which I believe illustrates the breadth of work that St. John's Hospice undertakes, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary. You can download the full report by clicking here.

2008 was an extremely memorable year for us with the launch of the redeveloped Hospice Day Service, which incorporated a larger facility with additional consulting and treatment rooms, and a designated meeting room. Day care has become a fundamental part of the strategy of allowing people to be at home and giving them choice and independence. The redevelopment gives the opportunity for greater access and the chance to treat more people alongside the services our Inpatient and Community teams provide.

2008 has also seen a substantial expansion in the work of our Hospice@Home team which provides crucial support to patients, enabling them to have the choice to die at home, as well as providing respite for families and carers. In 2008, we provided over 6,000 hours of care in people's own homes, which often made the crucial difference in enabling them to die in their preferred place.

I am grateful to and very proud of the staff who work tirelessly and devotedly to ensure that the provision of healthcare at St. John's Hospice is maintained to the highest standard. The clinical quality of the care delivered to our patients at St. John's Hospice remains our first priority, and is reflected in the feedback we have received from our patients and their carers. This care is also delivered by the large number of dedicated volunteers who willingly give of their time and talents in both enhancing the experience of patients and in fundraising to ensure that we can continue to perform at the highest levels.

Everyone at St. John's recognises that without the generosity of the people and organisations that support us we would not be able to provide the high standards of care for which we are renowned. Without your very generous support, St. John's simply would not be able to provide the care that we do.

General the Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank GCB LVO OBE DL, Chairman