Update from our CEO
Tuesday 3rd January 2023
A new year heralds new beginnings and opportunities. I would like to extend a warm hello to everyone as I start my role as Chief Executive for St Wilfrid’s Hospice.
This year I will celebrate eleven years at the hospice and move to this new role from my previous role as Clinical Services Director. During this time, I have been privileged to see first-hand the importance of the compassionate care and support our teams bring to patients and families every day of the year.
I want to celebrate and give thanks for the exceptional leadership of our previous CEO, David Scott-Ralphs. David will, by now, be embarking on his new beginning and enjoying the freedom to plan new ventures. I'm sure you will all join me in wishing David all the best and acknowledging the great legacy he leaves in a thriving hospice.
As winter progresses, we have continued to provide round the clock care to patients in the community and on our Inpatient Unit. There is a high level of need across our communities, as the health and care system copes with many challenges. We've worked closely with the Sussex Integrated Care System to ensure we can play our part to respond to the winter pressures and enable people to live well at the end of life. I want to extend a huge gratitude to all our staff and volunteers who have made this possible.
As with many others, we continue to meet a challenge in recruiting fully to our nursing teams. We are holding a recruitment open day in the Beacon Centre in Eastbourne on Thursday 26th January – spread the word! However, one thing we don’t want to spread is infections this winter so please continue with good hygiene measures when you visit our hospice or our shops.
Our shops have continued to be a crucial part of our hospice team and play a key role to ensure we can fund care for the future. Our Home Store in Langney Road, which opened in October, has become a well-established and successful part of our hospice shops team, and it is well worth a visit!
Finally, we could not respond to need across our communities without the amazing dedication and energy of our supporters. It's not too late to make a New Year resolution! Could that be committing to a new challenge such as our Firewalk, or running 5km in our fantastic Rainbow Run? There are opportunities to get involved to suit everyone, take a look at our events pages.
I look forward to meeting many of you in 2023 – happy new year!
Colin Twomey - CEO
