University Hospital Kerry Awarded End-Of-Life Care Quality Improvement Award

University Hospital Kerry (UHK) has announced that it has been presented with a Hospice Friendly Hospitals (HFH) Quality Improvement Award. Following a national callout, UHK received a grant to further develop their end-of-life and bereavement care. The HFH Programme is an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) in partnership with the HSE.  

As part of the programme, UHK has been granted €1,000 to progress the project, ‘Compassionate Care – One Patient Pathway at a Time’. The project’s aim is to design and implement individualised care plans for patients at the end of their life in the Kerry community and those who have to attend the hospital’s Emergency Department.

“The people of Kerry and staff at UHK have a deep commitment to ensuring when people die in our community; they do so with dignity.” stated Dr Pro Mukherjee, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at University Hospital Kerry and the project lead. “The grant from the Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme will enable the development of the ‘Compassionate Care- One Patient Pathway at a Time’. Working together with patients, families and the community, our aim is to set up personalised care pathways that allow patients coming to the end of their lives to live their remaining days fully and as far as possible, on their terms. Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin.” he continued.

“It is fantastic that so much great work continues to be carried out throughout Irish hospitals to help those near end of life and their families. Staff across the country put so much time into the HFH programme and we are very proud to give them this financial support. We will continue to work closely with hospital staff as we strive for the best end-of-life and bereavement care for all.” said Joanne Brennan, Hospice Friendly Hospitals Outreach Officer.