Coronavirus: Our Current Services
Information last updated 05/01/2021 at 11:48am
This page is to keep St Gemma’s staff and volunteers up to date with the current situation and the action the Hospice is taking to protect patients, visitors and the workforce.
Thank you for your ongoing support through this challenging situation. We’re doing everything possible to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our patients, service users and our workforce.
The In-Patient Unit
The In-Patient Unit remains open. Visitor access to the Hospice site is restricted. Please see www.st-gemma.co.uk/coronavirus for the latest visiting guidelines.
Visitors will need to check-in at the Hospice using the NHS Covid-19 app as part of the NHS Test and Trace service. If you can download the app prior to your visit, please do so and check-in using the QR code upon arrival. If you cannot use the app, our reception team will check you in manually.
We appreciate that this is a very sensitive situation, but we are doing it to minimise risk to our patients and workforce. Please direct any specific queries to the Nurse in Charge.
We also ask anyone who is feeling unwell, particularly with a high temperature or a new continuous cough, NOT TO VISIT THE HOSPICE. Please review the latest government advice on what you should do.
Community & Day Services
The St Gemma’s community team continue to operate and will continue to see patients in the community, as and when appropriate. Many consultations are being carried out via video call in the first instance.
Our usual Day Services, including drop-in sessions, out-patient appointments and clinics are suspended until further notice. This also includes therapy services, bereavement support and counselling.
However, the team are now offering support in a different way through the Support, Therapy and Resources (STAR) team, including virtual drop-ins, virtual group sessions, and telephone or video consultation.
Academic Unit
On-site activity within our Academic Unit is suspended until further notice*. We are running a number virtual training courses, please visit our palliative care training courses webpage for more information.
*Training for medical students and nurses on placement continues as normal. Some smaller internal meetings may go ahead if the risk is deemed to be low. Please contact a Head of Department for advice.
Fundraising & Retail
St Gemma’s fundraising events (on and off-site) and other activities are being reviewed on a daily basis in line with government and local advice. Please visit events.st-gemma.co.uk for details of individual events and to find out about our new virtual events.
We have introduced new guidelines for our fundraising events; read our Covid-19 measures to protect our supporters, staff and volunteers at fundraising events.
As of 5th January 2021, all of our shops are closed for the duration of the national lockdown. Thank you to everyone who has supported us and we look forward to welcoming you through our doors as soon as we’re able.
We are temporarily unable to accept donations to our shops until restrictions ease. Please do not leave items outside of our shops. Our collection service remains temporarily paused.
Our online ebay and Depop shops are open for business.
The gift shop in our main reception remains closed.
While at the Hospice or any St Gemma’s Sites
We are currently working on a reduced workforce. Some operations are greatly reduced. However, anyone with symptoms or at risk of coronavirus, as per government advice, should not come to the Hospice. Please contact your Head of Department in the first instance.
We will be stopping any other visitors using the Bistro for the foreseeable future, and patients’ visitors will order from the wards. Please remember to keep your distance from fellow colleagues in the Bistro.
We ask you to use the hand sanitiser gel across the Hospice site, and wash your hands regularly. Cleaning wipes have been issued to Hospice-based staff. Please use them to clean your work area, keyboard, phone, etc. regularly.
All staff are required to wear a face mask on the Hospice site. The correct masks are provided for your use.
You can help to stop the spread of any germs by:
- catching your cough or sneeze in a tissue – bin used tissues straight away
- washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing (use a sanitiser gel, if soap and water are unavailable)
- avoiding close contact with people who are unwell
- not touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please check our question and answer page which will hopefully address some of your most common queries.
Our Advice for Hospice Visitors
We are strictly limiting access to the Hospice site.
Please see here for the current information we are providing to visitors.
For the latest information and guidance on the coronavirus you can visit:
Thank you for your understanding.