‘Helpingpeopletolive thelifetheycan.’
AtStLuke’sHospice,ourmissionistoenablepeopleinCheshiretolivethelifetheycan, informedandsupporteduntiltheendoftheirlife,andtobethereforthosewhoarecloseto them
For37years,wehavebeenprovidingspecialistandpalliativecareandsupport.Oursupport beginsfromthemomentsomeoneisdiagnosed,throughtopalliativecareandultimately endoflifecare.Wealsosupportfamiliesandcarers,fromhelpingthemtocopewiththe pressureandstrainsofillness,tocopingwithbereavementandhelpingthemmoveforward StLuke’sisacharityandallofourservicesarefreeofcharge. Thisisonlymadepossiblebythecontinuedsupportandgenerousdonationsofour community,whoprovideover80%ofthecostofrunningtheHospice.
99%
ofpatientssaidtheywould recommendStLuke’sservicestotheir familyorfriendsshouldtheyneed similarcare.
Welcomefromour newCEO
IamproudtointroducemyselfasthenewChiefExecutive ofStLuke’s IknewpriortojoiningtheHospicethatStLuke’s wasaveryspecialplaceand,throughmeetingwithstaff andvolunteersduringmyfirstfewmonths,Ihavenowseen howdedicatedeveryoneistoprovidingthebestcareand supporttoourpatientsandtheirlovedones.
Throughoutthisreportyouwillfindstatisticsaboutthe servicesweprovide,thenumberofpatientswecarefor, andfamilymemberswesupport.Oneofourprioritiesfor 2024/25wastocareforandsupportevenmorepeople.Duringthisyearwehaveseenan increaseinreferralstoourInpatientUnit,aswellascontinuedincreasesinreferralstoour DayHospiceservicesincludingWellbeingDaysandComplementaryTherapyClinics.Our DementiaServiceshavealsoseenanincreaseindemand,andwearekeentocontinueto expandtheseserviceswhichprovidesuchvitalsupport.
Statistics,however,onlytellpartofthestoryandinordertorealisethetrueimpactofour servicesyouwillalsoreadfeedbackfromserviceusersandinterviewswithpatientsand theirfamilies.WearegratefultoeveryonewhosharestheirexperiencesofStLuke’saswe continuallystrivetoimproveourservices.
Weremainindebtedtooursupporterswhomakesomuchofourcarepossible Iwas fortunatetoparticipateinoneofourlargestfundraisingevents,TheMidnightWalk,inJune andhadthepleasureofseeingthesupportforStLuke’s,bothfromotherparticipantsand alsomembersofthecommunitywhoweresupportingalongtheroute.Wearesovery grateful.
ChiefExecutiveOfficer
InpatientUnit
Overthis12monthperiodour10bedInpatientUnit receivedatotalof370referrals.
Whilethemajorityofpatientsreferredtoushaveacancer diagnosis,16%ofreferralswereforotherlifelimiting conditionssuchasMultipleSclerosis,Parkinsons,Motor NeuroneDisease,respiratoryfailureandheartfailure.
ThreequartersofpatientsreferredtoStLuke’swere admittedfromhomeforspecialistcare,demonstrating theHospice’sroleinpreventingunnecessaryhospital admissions.
Theremainingonequarterofadmissionsweretransferred totheHospicefromhospital,helpingthehospitalto creategreaterbedcapacitytocareforotherpatients.
patientswere referredtostayon ourInpatientUnit duringtheyear
Our impact
“Thankyouforallthecare, kindnessanddignityyougave mydadinhisfinaldays.”
“Icannotthankyouenoughfor allyourcare,loveandsupport overthesepastfourweeks,they havebeenthebesttheypossibly couldunderthecircumstances.”
“Thankyouforallthecare andcompassionmy husbandreceivedwhilst stayingwithyou.Itreally couldn'tofbeenbetter.”
“Youhavegivenussomepeace ofmindduringthisdifficulttime, thestaffcaringformumhave beensocaringandthoughtful.”
Our impact
Jacob Whitehead
Wewereprivilegedtocarefor25-yearoldJacobWhiteheadfromNorthwich whospenthisfinalweeksonour InpatientUnit.Jacob’sgirlfriendSarah Wattersdescribeswhatourcaremeant toJacob,hisfamilyandfriends
“Onthe2ndofMay2024,wesadlylost JacobfollowinghisbattlewithStage4 BrainCancer,agedjust25.Hespenthis final8weeksatthehospicewherethe supportandcareprovidedwasnothing shortofoutstanding.Jacobwas treatedlikeroyaltyandwecouldn’t haveaskedforabetterplaceforhimto spendhisfinal2months.”
“AnyonewhoknewJacob,knewhimforhissenseofhumour,andcountlesslineupoffriends Duringhistimeatthehospice,despitebeingpoorlyandknowingwhatwascoming,henever lostthissenseofhumour;stillmanagingtomakeuslaughduringthemostbrutal circumstances.WhatmadethehospicespecialtoJacob,wasthatitfeltlikehomeandgave usaglimpseofnormalityinotherwisedevastatingcircumstances.”
“HehadhisownroomandabigTV,andwhenhis friendsandfamilycametovisitwecouldforget aboutthedifficultcircumstancesandjust appreciatethepreciousmemorieswithhim.”
Morethan3857sessionswereattendedbypatientsandcarersin ourDayHospiceoverthe12months,forservicesincludingour WellbeingDays,ComplementaryTherapyClinics,Dementia ServicesandRelaxationWorkshops.
Inadditionournursesmade190telephonecallsaspartofour TelecareServicetosupportpatientsandcarersintheirown homes.
referralsweremade toourDayHospice 553 callsweremadeby ournursestosupport patientsandcarers athome 190
“I’vehadtreatmentsatStLuke’s
“Iamsogratefulforthe kindnessyouhaveshown andIwillneverforgetit.”
Our impact
Paul Walton
PaulWaltonfromMiddlewichreceived supportfromourDayHospiceand lymphoedemateamfollowingtreatment fortonguecancer.The58yearoldsays StLuke’shasplayedavitalpartinhis recovery,supportinghimandhelpinghim returntowork.
"Oncethetreatmenthadfinished,even thoughyoucanstillcallthehospitalfor advice,youfeellikeyou’reonyourown.I wassoanxiousaboutlotsofthings–appointments,theoutcomeofscansand testresults–butthesupportofStLuke’s calmedmedownandhelpedmecope withitall.
Pauladded,“IhavetosaythatIwasalittlebitscepticalofreikiandtheother complementarytherapiesbuttheyhavemadeamassivedifference-helpingmetorelax, calmdownandmoveforwards.Thesupporthasbeenfantastic!Ihavebeenclinicallygiven theallclearandIhavebeenabletoreturntoworksoit’sallworkingoutwellforme.”
Dementia Support Services...
OurDementiaSupportServicesarehere tosupportpeoplelivingwithDementia andtheircarers
Lymphoedema Services...
LymphoedemaServicesareheretotreat andsupportpatientsaged18yearsand overwithprimaryandsecondary lymphoedema.Theservicesarerun jointlybyStLuke’sHospice,Cheshire CommunityIntegratedCarePartnership andMacmillanCancerCare. 179
peopleweresupportedthroughour DementiaCareservices
patientsandcarersattendedourmusic therapygroupforthoselivingwith dementia. 106
Patientswerereferredtoour Lymphoedemaservices.
“Youareabsoluteangels,thankyouso muchfortheworkyoudo.”
“Excellentservice.Nothingtoomuchtrouble. Dawnwasagreatlistenerandalsogaveme lotsofadvicetomanagemylymphoedema”
“Alwayskindandcaring,nothing toomuchtrouble,fantasticnurse”
“Thankyouforallyourlovingcare.”
“Verycaringandprofessional Wentto greatlengthstomakesureIwas comfortableandhappywithmy compressionstockings”
WeekendPalliativeCareService
Ourweekendservicesupportspatientsandtheircarers/relativesout-of-hourswhen communityteamsmaynotbeoperating
Overthe12monthperiodatotalof724callsweremadetopatientsintheirownhomeson SaturdaysandSundays,providingadviceandsupportinrelationtomedicationand symptommanagement
Occupational Therapy
TheOccupationalTherapyserviceis integratedwithinthewiderteamto provideaholisticapproachtopatient careattheHospice.Theserviceprovides palliativerehabilitationforallpatients, andtheirfamilyandcarers,atevery stageoftheirillness.OurOccupational Therapistmade1,415face-to-face encounters,phonecallsandemailswith patientsandhealthprofessionals
SocialWork
Ourspecialistpalliativecaresocial workeroffersawidevarietyofsupport topatientswhoarebeingcaredforby theHospiceandthosewhoare importanttothem.Theycanprovide practicalhelpinidentifyingcareand supportneeds,signpostingto appropriatesupportorganisations, navigatingsocialcareservices,food bankreferrals,andsignpostingfor financialandbenefitsadvice
FamilySupport
OurFamilySupport&CounsellingTeamreceived316referralsforsupportoverthe year.
Theyalsoheld1,744appointmentsattendedbyclients,whichincluded:
“StLuke’shospicecareandthe counsellingteamareamazing.Idon’t knowwhatmyfamilywouldhavedone andhowwewouldhavecopedwithout yoursupportduringthetoughesttimeof ourlives.Iwillbeeternallygrateful.”
“Iamsoverygratefultohavebeen offeredthecounsellingservices,the sessionsreallyhelpedmeto navigatethegriefIwasexperiencing andtofaceanewchapterinmylife withoutbothofmyparents” “Ifoundmycounsellortobe extremelyunderstanding,skilful, empatheticallintherightratios.”
Our impact
DeniseCooperfromCrewesaysshecan neverrepayStLuke’sforthecareher husbandNigelreceivedinhisfinaldays onourInpatientUnit.
Shereflects:“Ican’tthankthenurses enoughbecausenothingwastoomuch troubleforthem.Everybodyhadasmile andthathelpswhenyouknowthings arebad.
“Myson,daughterandIstayedwithhim towardstheendandthestaffjust couldn’tdoenoughforus Theylooked afterallofus,notjustNigel.Theywereso gentleandunderstanding.
“StLuke’sisafamily,there’snotwoways aboutitandwhenyou’rethere,youare oneofthem,partoftheirfamily.
“EvennowwhenIgobacktotheHospiceeverybodystillremembers,allthehundredsof familiestheymustcareforbuttheystillremember”
Strugglingtodealwithherhusband’sdeath,Denisewasprovidedwithcounsellingatthe HospicewhichthenledtohervolunteeringinStLuke’scharityshopinCrewe.
Sheexplains:“Mycounsellorwasabsolutely brilliantbecauseIcouldtalktohimabout everythingandanything.Healwaystoldme nothingwasstupid,nomatterhowIfeltor whatIsaid,andhehelpedmenoend.
“Volunteeringwashissuggestionbecause itgetsmeoutofthehouseandmeeting newpeople,andinmymindI’mhelping StLuke’s.I’dgivethemanythingifIcould, it’smywayofrepayingtheHospiceandI alwayswillifIcan.”
Educationandtraining
WesupportnursingstudentsandnurseassociatestudentsfromChesterUniversity andStaffordshireUniversitywithplacementsattheHospice.Wealsotakestudentson shortvisitsfromKeele,LiverpoolandtheOpenUniversity.
WehaveprovidedendoflifeeducationtoMidCheshireHospitalsTrustFoundation doctors,alongsideLeightonSpecialistPalliativeCareTeamcolleagues.
TheHospicehostsaresidentmedicaljuniordoctorfor6monthlyrotationwithin palliativemedicine,sharingtheweekbetweentheHospiceandhospitalpalliative medicineteams
Wehaveprovidedanannuallecturetoaround80BuckinghamUniversitymedical studentsonpalliativemedicine.
WehostedaGPInformationEveningonpalliativecareandhaveeducatedlocalGPsin theirprotectedlearningtimesessionsonseizuremanagementandpainmanagement.
WehavegivenlecturestocolleaguesviatheEndofLifePartnershipinseizure management,painmanagementandrecognisingdyinginMotorNeuroneDisease.
OurcomplementarytherapyteamareholdingteachingsessionsfortheSWANteamat LeightonHospitaltoteachhandmassagefortheirvolunteerstogivepatientsatendof life.
AdviceLine
256callsreceived
Our24/7PalliativeCareTelephoneAdviceLine received256calls,mainlyoutofhours,from healthcareprofessionalsinneedofspecialistadvice regardingmedicationorsymptommanagement
Thesecallsgivenon‐hospicestafftheconfidenceto supportpatientsinnumerousothercaresettings helpingtokeeppatientsfrombeingadmitted inappropriatelytohospital
In2024/25itcost...
£16,808perday
£700perhour
£11.67perminute
Volunteering
Ourcaresimplywouldn’tbepossiblewithouttheloyalsupportofvolunteerswhohelpboth attheHospiceandacrossourcharityshops Theyalsosupportourfundraisingeventsin thecommunity.
Volunteersdonatedmorethan60,000hoursoftheirtimethroughouttheyearwhichsaved theHospiceapproximately£680,000instaffingcosts.Hugethankstoallourvolunteers.
690
Volunteerssupport StLuke’s
Instaffingcosts saved
“I’minaplacenowwhereIcanvolunteer andIlikethefactthereisnopressure.I justenjoygardeningandwanttomake theHospicelookniceforpeople.“
ThevalueofFundraising
Withonly14%ofourfundingcomingfromthegovernment-farlessthanmanyother hospices-werelyonfundraisingandourcommunity’sloyalsupporttokeepourvital servicesrunning.
FromcharityshopsandourLotterytoeventsandcommunityactivities,we’redeeply gratefulforthegenerosityshown.
Thefollowingnumbershighlightjustsomeoftheincrediblefundraisingoverthepastyear.
Ourshopsofferafantasticrangeofclothing,furnitureandaccessoriesandarelocated throughoutmidandsouthCheshire.
Averagecustomerspendin ourshops
worthofraffleticketswere purchasedbysupportersforour SummerandWinter Superdraws
RegularGiving
4023
17,576 peoplejoinedour Lotteryasnewplayers overtheyear
Lotteryplayerstookpartin ourweeklydraws
amStLuke's Theyearataglance...
