Dr Kershaw's joins ground-breaking Hospice UK tv campaign
Dr Kershaw's Hospice in Oldham has joined a national campaign led by Hospice UK to raise awareness about the importance of hospice care. The campaign, 'This is Hospice Care,' includes a TV advert featuring real-life patient stories and aims to encourage viewers to leave gifts in their wills to support hospice services. The article highlights the financial challenges faced by hospices, with NHS funding covering only one-third of costs, and emphasizes the growing need for palliative care in Oldham.
Dr Kershaw’s Hospice launched a nationwide television campaign yesterday alongside 140 other UK hospices to secure the future of end-of-life care as demand surges across the country.
The “This is Hospice Care” campaign, spearheaded by Hospice UK, began airing across major channels Monday with real-life stories of patients and families. The initiative urges viewers to include hospice donations in their wills as Britain’s aging population drives unprecedented need for palliative services.
Oldham faces a 30% increase in residents aged 65 and over during the next two decades, yet NHS funding covers merely one-third of Dr Kershaw’s operating costs. The hospice’s daily expenses reached £14,358 in 2024, totaling £5.24 million annually.
“Thanks to the incredible support of the Oldham community, our hospice is surviving,” said Adele Doherty, CEO of Dr Kershaw’s Hospice. “But the financial pressure is increasing and we cannot exist on NHS funding alone. In 2024, 70% of hospices were in a financial deficit.”
The campaign confronts widespread misconceptions about hospice access, particularly among minority and disadvantaged communities who often remain unaware that services are completely free. While 262 patients received care through Dr Kershaw’s 12-bed inpatient unit last year, the hospice’s community impact extended far beyond its walls through 2,513 Hospice at Home nursing visits and 7,285 visits by Caring Hands healthcare assistants who provide personal care, medication management and emotional support.
“All of our services, including our Inpatient Unit and Wellbeing Centre activities, are free to access,” explained Nicola Heppenstall, Community Services Manager. “To keep them free, we are heavily reliant on fundraising and donations - including gifts in wills.”
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