Yorkshire children’s hospice Martin House has won a national award for its “inspirational” end of life and bereavement care.
The hospice won the End of Life Care Award in the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards, run by magazine Care Management Matters.
Victoria Greensmith, interim director of clinical services at Martin House, said:
We’re absolutely thrilled to win this award, which recognises the dedication and excellent work of our care and bereavement teams to support families in what is the most difficult time of their lives.
The judging panel described the service as ‘inspirational’ and said it was particularly impressed with the leadership displayed, the impact the service has on families and the knowledge shared between organisations. It also praised the hospice for its approach in ‘putting their arms around the families they support’.
Martin House, which cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions from across West, North and East Yorkshire, works with families to ensure their child receives end of life care with dignity and comfort, and in the setting of their choice, whether that is at the hospice, in their own homes, or in hospital.
Its care team can work with hospitals to enable rapid discharge, allowing a child to die at home, and will help families prepare advance care plans, which helps them to make difficult decisions ahead of time about how they wish their child to be cared for at the end of their life.
The hospice also supports the whole family through bereavement, including parents, siblings and grandparents, both through individual counselling and group work, recognising the different ways they grieve for their child.
Martin House also uniquely provides support to families when a child dies suddenly or unexpectedly, whether or not they were already known to the hospice.
Victoria added:
To receive national recognition for this vital part of our service is incredibly gratifying, and we’d like to thank the panel of judges for their kind comments – it means so much to us.
