About Hospiscare

Hospiscare supports employee development best through its comprehensive Learning and Development Programme. This in-house programme offers 71 separate training opportunities between April 2011 and March 2012. These range from one hour sessions on a ‘hot topic’, to essential updates to support staff in their roles, to four day courses on Bereavement and Loss. The programme is needs-led and responsive, with managers and employees regularly being consulted on their learning needs. This programme is also informed through analysis of appraisals and the training needs identified within them. Needs are responded to quickly either by provision of an in-house course if demand is great enough and there is capacity within the organisation, if the need cannot be met in-house an appropriate external course is sought.

Hospiscare has in place a detailed Staff Wellbeing Policy. They provide a well-stocked resource file of useful information in addition to providing each member of staff with six free counselling sessions via occupational health. The occupational health service is also available for general self and management referral to ensure staff are fit and healthy, both physically and mentally.

Each year staff including the Senior Management Team organise an 'end of year review' in the style of a sketch show, involving as many people as possible. The Senior Management Team provides refreshments at the end for all to enjoy. They have also hosted two weddings for patients which the staff have worked very hard to organise at the last moment. Both weddings were greatly received by all those involved and this lifted the spirits of the staff involved in the organisation as they were able to do that little bit more for the patients and their families.