Our strategy
For over forty years, we've developed and adapted our care to meet patient demand. Our 7-year Strategic Plan is based on extensive experience and knowledge of our community and the wider landscape. Below, you can learn more about our Hospice strategy.
Our Strategy addresses how we will continue to serve the growing needs of our populace without compromising our values or the excellence of our care.
Our strategy
Our 7-year Strategic Plan is based on extensive experience and knowledge of our community and wider landscape. Our Hospice strategy addresses how we will continue to serve the growing needs of our populace without compromising our values or the excellence of our care.
The challenges we face in delivering the strategy are considerable: these include a growing, elderly population with complex care needs and a need to do more for increasing numbers but with less public money.
There are now more people who need our care – more who need support earlier following diagnosis – more who want to live life to its fullest potential – more who want to be cared for and die at home rather than in hospital – more whose families and carers need our help both pre and post bereavement.
Our vision
Our vision is for a society where death is a part of life.
Whether it is loss, grief or a diagnosis that makes us first look death full in the face, accepting mortality can be uncomfortable.
By transforming attitudes to death and dying, we can create compassionate communities; together we can support everyone’s right to live a meaningful life and have a peaceful death.
With our part of life vision in mind, our CEO, Wayne de Leeuw, interviewed writer and palliative care specialist Kathryn Mannix about societal taboos, hidden mourners, NHS palliative care integration and the potential for adopting the wisdom and death literacy of diverse communities.
Our mission
Our mission is to ensure that everyone has access to outstanding palliative and end of life care.
Our values
We Care
- with compassion, because we believe every life is precious and we are trusted to do the best we can for our patients and families.
- for our volunteers, donors, sponsors and customers who make our work possible.
- for one another with compassionate, purposeful and authentic leadership.
We know that WE CARE because…
- everyone who looks to us for support is treated equally.
- our service users tell us they are treated with kindness and respect.
- we provide the best support we can to meet individuals’ particular needs.
- our volunteers know they are valued and appreciated.
- our staff feel equally valued, whichever vital role they play.
- our donors and sponsors know the importance of their contribution and the difference they make.
- we actively consider and take responsibility for our impact on the environment.
We Connect
- with other health and wellbeing organisations because we believe that working together, we can achieve more for our community.
- with all of our community with openness and understanding of how they see the world, and what matters to them.
- with each other and across our organisation to deliver excellence.
We know that WE CONNECT because…
- local GPs and other health and social care professionals understand our value and our services.
- we have strong relationships at all levels with the NHS and other hospices.
- we are a familiar and well-understood charity in the areas we serve.
- we provide the same standard of service to anyone, with equal access for all.
- it is widely understood that we are as much about living well as dying well.
- we work as one team throughout Dorothy House and help each other out.
- we can tell a simple and inspiring story about who we are and what we do.
We Create
- a safe space for people to openly talk about death and dying.
- a community who support each other to understand that death is a part of life.
- opportunities to innovate, learn and develop together.
We know that WE CREATE because…
- we can evidence that we are leaders in hospice best practice.
- we are increasing understanding of death across our community.
- if our staff have a good idea for doing things better we’re keen to act on it.
- we find effective ways to maintain our financial wellbeing and spend our money wisely.
- we invest in and develop our staff to their full potential.
- our services are well planned and meet the needs of our community.
- we believe change is how we grow – we do not fear it but embrace it and manage it well.
Our goals
These goals demonstrate the ways we will achieve our mission.
Videos
How we will deliver
We will deliver our Hospice strategy by:
- Ensuring our patients, their families and carers, and our people remain at our core
- Partnering to develop the services our communities need in the locations they want
- Maintaining financial stewardship and outstanding governance
- Delivering outstanding care and excellence throughout our community
- Evolving constantly, embracing change and innovation
- Engaging with our community earlier and leading the conversation about death and dying
- Preparing and equipping society to embrace the reality that death is a part of life