We are a University Teaching Hospice

We’re delighted to announce that St Gemma’s has been officially recognised as a University Teaching Hospice – the first hospice to achieve this in the UK and the world! This new and prestigious national status reflects our substantial research and teaching activity in collaboration with the University of Leeds.

Professor Mike Bennett, the St Gemma’s Professor of Palliative Medicine explains: “This is a really important milestone for St Gemma’s. We have a long standing relationship with the University of Leeds both in terms of our research work and quality teaching. This national recognition reinforces St Gemma’s position on the international palliative care map and will act as the UK benchmark for integrated clinical and academic palliative care. We’ve recently achieved an Outstanding CQC status commending our clinical care. University Teaching Hospice status now formally acknowledges the work of our Academic Unit of Palliative Care.”

Q: What is the significance of this development?

A: We have a long-standing relationship with the University of Leeds and our new status as University Teaching Hospice formally acknowledges the quality of research and teaching our Academic Unit of Palliative Care carries out. It reinforces St Gemma’s position at the forefront of palliative care internationally and will act as the UK benchmark for integrated clinical and academic palliative care.

Q: What does this new status mean for patient care?

A: All of our research, teaching and training is ultimately aimed at improving patient care and means the people we look after will be treated in the best way possible.

Whether we are researching pain relief, training students or learning more about palliative care developments across the world, as patients’ needs change over time, we will always be in a position to adapt because of the new research which will be carried out. Our ongoing research ensures St Gemma’s staff and volunteers have the most up-to-date education in standards of care, based on first-hand evidence.

Catherine Malia, Nurse Consultant at St Gemma’s Hospice explains: “A key part of my role at the Hospice is implementing research evidence into practice. We are always learning from our research findings and myself and the wider clinical team work hard to integrate any positive outcomes to directly improve the patient’s care and experience.

For example, research undertaken by the St Gemma’s Academic Unit of Palliative Care demonstrated that provision of information to patients about pain and effective use of painkillers leads to reduction in patients’ pain levels. As a result, we have developed patient information resources that educate patients about their pain, how to take pain killers safely and effectively, and dispel some of the common fears associated with strong pain killers. We routinely provide these materials to patients when we are advising them to use pain-killing drugs.”

Q: Does this mean the University funds St Gemma’s work or vice versa?

A:  No. The relationship between the University and the Hospice is not financially based, and will not affect the Hospice’s need to raise funds from generous public donations to support its ongoing work.

Q: How does the teaching benefit palliative care professionals outside of the Hospice?

A: We offer a comprehensive training programme to all health care professionals in palliative/ end of life care with the aim of improving the way care is delivered.

This includes being a host site for the European Certificate in Essential Palliative Care, delivering the regional Advanced Communication Skills training programme, masterclasses in symptom management, ethics and how to manage dementia the end of life. A key area which has developed over the years is supporting students from all disciplines on placement at the hospice and teaching on their training programmes to ensure that end of life care is an integral part of their practice.

Trish Stockton, Head of Learning and Teaching at the Academic Unit of Palliative Care says: “We have had strong working relationship with the University of Leeds for many years and value their support and collaboration in the training that we provide.”