Palliative Care Services

 

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Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation in association with HSE West funds specialist palliative care services, free of charge, to patients and families living with life-limiting illness in counties Mayo and Roscommon. Palliative care services are available to patients in their homes and hospitals.  Our mission is to care and support while meeting both the physical and emotional needs of patients and their loved ones.  This vital service enables patients to live life to the full in comfort and dignity by improving their quality of life through pain control and alleviating other distressing symptoms.  Patients are referred to Hospice by either their General Practitioner or their hospital consultant. See more information here.

Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation (“MRHF”) was founded in 1993 to fund Palliative Care Services in both counties.  The service has grown to a team of over 30 professionals and is funded by MRHF in partnership with the HSE.

MRHF provides substantial funding towards the cost of the Palliative Homecare Teams in Mayo and Roscommon. As a result of the generosity of donors and supporters, there is 7 day palliative care home care service in both counties. This service provides comfort and dignity free to charge to patients throughout their end of life journey.

Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation own both of their Hospices, and co-fund the operational costs with the HSE.

MRHF completed the construction of an 8 Bed Hospice in Roscommon in November 2021.  The cost of purchasing the site and construction was just over €6m, all coming from fundraised income. This was a huge undertaking but MRHF was determined to ensure that patients with life limiting illnesses from Mayo and Roscommon have the best possible facilities, where they can be cared for with dignity and respect. Postcode for the hospice is F42PX79.

The Roscommon facility provides Day Care, Community Care and an 8 Bed In-Patient Unit providing respite and end of life services.  The natural landscape is complimented by trees, planted courtyards and gardens which defines the two core areas within the centre.

The Day Care Centre is arranged around a central private garden, providing patients with privacy while the in-patient Palliative Care Centre is located around an external courtyard with a sheltered amenity and a therapeutic garden.

The Saolta Group is responsible for the Clinical & Operational Governance of the Roscommon Hospice through Roscommon University Hospital. The Foundation is incredibly grateful to the management and staff for their support in this collaboration and is  committed to meeting any funding shortfalls that should occur, to ensure the service is maintained.

After years of fundraising, the Mayo Hospice was completed in 2019, at a cost of €9m, all coming from fundraised income.

The Mayo Hospice is located in Knockaphunta, Castlebar. (Postcode F23 YY40). The Hospice is located within a small cul-de-sac development, containing St. Anthony’s School and HSE residential centres and Rural training centre and is within walking distance of  Mayo University Hospital, Lough Lannagh public park and the town centre.

The Mayo facility is a 14-bed inpatient unit with day-care facilities. There’s also a café, shop and reflection room that is publicly accessible, which will add vitality and increase awareness of the hospice works in the community. 

MRHF have entered into an agreement with a partner to provide Clinical and Operational Governance of the Mayo Hospice. The HSE co-fund costs of the Mayo Hospice, while MRHF has ultimate responsibility for ensuring adequate resources are in place to cover all costs associated with the operation of the unit. As such, in the event additional funding is required, the amount and purpose will be discussed and agreed with MRHF personnel. MRHF shall ensure that the necessary funding for Mayo Hospice shall be ring fenced within their annual and tri-annual budgets as a priority item.

Both the Mayo Hospice & the Roscommon Hospice are now open to patients. The cost of both Hospices was over €15m, all coming from fundraised income. With your support and the support of the people the Foundation will continue to fund services within the Hospices & the Homecare teams in partnership with the HSE.

MRHF also provides

  • specialist palliative home care nursing and social work services
  • hospice care workers /sitter service and extra home help
  • counselling and psychological support to patients & families
  • financial support and advice for families who experience hardship due to illness
  • night nursing in conjunction with the ICS and the IHF
  • ongoing training and education for the team
  • other supports are available on an individual assessment basis

The Foundation have provided  palliative care therapy, play & bereavement therapy for the last 17 years through their Clinical Psychotherapist & Family Therapist Laura Coleman. Her work involves a range of therapies including support for the patient and their families.

Now that the extensive Capital Development Programme undertaken by MRHF is now completed,  MRHF have formed a Group from the Board of Directors, who along with the CEO are working to develop a five year strategy from 2022 to 2026.

MRHF will continue to fund all of the above, but are also working to develop palliative care services further in Mayo & Roscommon, both in the community and in the Hospices.