The DHT project is a transformation of Weston Hospicecare’s Day Services physical environment and facilities. The project was born out of a visit, and subsequently a generous donation from the Nightingale family without whom, none of this would have been possible.
The project has been awarded a number of grants and donations from trusts and public sector bodies who recognise the value of the project.
| Roger and Georgina Nightingale | Hospital Saturday Fund |
| Albert Hunt | Howards Motor Group |
| BNSSG ICB | Somerset CCG |
| Fairfield Charitable Trust | The Gilbert Family in Memory of Terry |
| Foxglove Trust | Tesco Community Fund |
| Francis Winham Trust | Thomas J Horne Memorial Trust |
| Garfield Weston | W G Edwards Charitable Trust |
The work has completely transformed the vision, look and feel of the Day Services environment, as well as the facilities and care services provided to patients, making Day Services accessible and welcoming to a wider demographic, regardless of age or characteristics.
How our Day Service environment looked…
What difference will the improvements make?
John Bailey
Director of Patient Services
John says “With the development works, the hospice will expand the content and availability of the current core Day Hospice programme, to widen the access to all patients who wish to attend.
“In addition, the introduction of outpatient clinics ranging from introductory holistic care appointments, pain clinics, physiotherapy clinics to podiatry and clinical procedures. Running outpatient clinics allows palliative patients to avoid a hospital setting and provides an opportunity to support our community.
“Enrichment activities covering a whole range of interests will become available for patients, family members and friends to take part in. Some ideas proposed already include a computer café, cookery class, a Teddy Bear’s picnic, a pub quiz evening.
“Running alongside all of the new proposals will be therapeutic groups, including Fatigue & Breathlessness, Neurological Support Groups, Expressive Movement Therapy and No Barriers Here (arts therapy based advanced care planning).
“The staffing model has been expanded to include a Day Services Manager to allow service development and there is an ongoing focus on recruiting volunteers who really have valuable skills to see our vision come to life.
“The hospice has never stood still and there are more exciting times ahead.”
The project’s journey…
Lift off....
Initial conversations and consultations held & exploration meeting with Nightingale family facilitated.
Pandemic postpones project
The unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic meant this project was paused while our Day Services Team turned to digital avenues to care for and support patients.
Plans get back on track...
Planning, preparation and further patient consultation takes place…
Plans get back on track...
“Bold, courageous and tenacious” says CEO, Paul Winspear, as Board of Trustees thanked for “believing in the vision and supporting the Senior Management Team” to make the developments and subsequently improvements to patient services a reality!
Ready, set, go... the much-anticipated project breaks ground...
“Bold, courageous and tenacious” says CEO, Paul Winspear, as Board of Trustees thanked for “believing in the vision and supporting the Senior Management Team” to make the developments and subsequently improvements to patient services a reality!
The project progresses...
With demolition complete, foundations for the new space are crafted…
Walk around with us in 56 seconds...
With demolition complete, foundations for the new space are crafted…
Project complete
With demolition complete, foundations for the new space are crafted…
The project finished:
On budget and just two weeks behind schedule.
FAQs
The vast majority of the build has been funded by a portfolio of grants, spearheaded by the incredible generosity of the Nightingale family.
The previous facilities were dated, disjointed and did not provide the environment for optimum patient care delivery. Significant layout changes, clever design tactics to increase natural light and the implementation of key accessibility
We have been planning the project for four years, since pre-pandemic, and have consulted patients, service users, carers and family members, clinicians and medics to ensure we will achieve maximum ‘bang for our buck’ in terms of making a real difference. Our traditional Day Hospice model is being extended to include a range of Enrichment Activities and Outpatient Clinics for all patients including those in the IPU and those in the community being cared for by Community Nurse Specialists, i.e. not just the enrolled Day Hospice patients. Hospice staffing is being expanded to deliver the extra services.
Our day services take place at our main base, Jackson-Barstow House.
Our Day Services provision has been temporarily scaled down and moved to our Wellbeing Centre facilities during the development works. The noise has been a trial at times, mainly for the staff who work upstairs, with patient areas such as the Inpatient Unit and Wellbeing Centre escaping disruption. Elsewhere, for our housekeeping and kitchen teams there has been disruption, but services have been able to resume.