New facility for families of seriously ill patients opens at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny

The new family room in St Lukes Hospital, in Kilkenny, for relatives of end-of-life patients was officially opened on Monday, October 14, by Conor MacLiam, Chairperson Susie Long Hospice Fund and Niamh Lacey, General Manager St Luke's Hospital.

The family room funded by the Susie Long Hospice Fund provides a private space in the hospital for family members to take a break in a quiet setting during the most stressful of times. The facilities include a bed, TV, tea and coffee making facilities and a bathroom. The room can also be used to facilitate meetings and consultations with medical staff.

The family room is being fully utilised and has become an essential element in providing respite and privacy for those whose loved ones are at End-of- life in the hospital.

The family room is part of a suite of supports being provided by The Susie Long Hospice Fund to the hospital. These supports are part of a five-year agreement between the charity and the hospital to substantially improve the lives of palliative care patients and their families.

HSE policy has significantly changed since the SLHF began with a mission to provide the highest possible quality end-of-life care for patients and their families through the establishment of a 12-bed hospice in Kilkenny.

Since the charity’s inception, there was a huge emphasis on the need for privacy and dignity for all patients during end-of-life care. This need has been fulfilled as all new hospital rooms in St Luke’s are single occupancy and have transformed the experience of palliative care for patients and their families.

 As well as the new family room the supports provided by the Susie Long Hospice Fund include:

• The purchase of three state-of-the-art Murphy beds, six Buddy chairs and room enhancements in the 72-bed Ormond wing of the hospital so that relatives can be by the bedsides of their loved ones.
• An education fund to cover European Certification in Palliative Care for six staff members of St Luke’s Hospital and one postgraduate diploma in palliative care every year.
• Provision of complementary therapies for palliative care patients.

With the help of Margaret Ryan St Luke's End of Life Care Coordinator, the SLHF is continuously exploring new ways to improve and enhance the experience of patients and their families in the hospital environment.

Commenting on the opening of the family room Conor MacLiam said: "On this the 17th anniversary of Susie’s passing, with the opening of this family room, I am happy to say that St Luke's is making great strides forward in end-of-life care. In partnership with Margaret and her end-of-life care team, so much progress has been made since the days when Susie was a cancer patient. I and other families and friends of end-of-life patients know how this room will make a huge difference."

St. Luke’s General Hospital is a Hospice Friendly Hospital (HFH). The HFH Programme is an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation in partnership with the Health Services Executive (HSE), introducing a strategic and focused approach to the improvement of end-of-Life care in acute Hospitals.

The findings of the first national End-of-Life Survey was launched on April 11, 2024, providing valuable insights into the care journeys of those who received end-of-life care between September and December 2022. Of the 4,570 respondents, 39.4% died in a hospital. The survey findings highlight the need to create compassionate spaces within Acute Hospital settings.

 The support from Susie Long Hospice Fund has enhanced end-of-life care in St. Luke’s General Hospital for patients, their loved ones and the staff who care for them. "This valuable support has allowed us to improve how we integrate hospice principles into our acute care setting. The Susie Long Hospice Family room offers a tranquil, comfortable, and private space for patients and families, within the busy hospital environment during their care journey. St. Luke’s General Hospital are very grateful for this ongoing collaboration with Susie Long Hospice Fund improving end-of-life care in our hospital."