Our purposeHighland Hospice offers care, support and advice to people in the Highlands who are living with a terminal illness, approaching the end of life, or experiencing bereavement.Our…
Our purpose
Highland Hospice offers care, support and advice to people in the Highlands who are living with a terminal illness, approaching the end of life, or experiencing bereavement.
Our care
At Highland Hospice our care for people approaching the end of life focuses on the individual and puts their needs and those of their families at the centre of decision-making. We help manage pain and other physical symptoms to enhance quality of life. Our team also provides support with emotional, social and spiritual needs, working with patients, families and carers with a focus on dignity and wellbeing at the end of life.
Our bereavement services are offered to people of all ages who have been bereaved by the death of a significant person in their life, regardless of the cause of death. Bereavement support offers a range of therapeutic approaches where people can share their story, make positive connections with others and build on their coping mechanisms, self-esteem and confidence.
Our ambition
Our ambition for 2030 is to ensure that everyone in the Highlands faced with death, dying or bereavement has access to the best palliative and end-of-life care – the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Read all about Ambition 2030 here
Our approach
Our approach is based on partnership. We recognise that we cannot support everyone in the Highlands on our own. As well as providing services direct to those in need, we work alongside our NHS and third sector colleagues. We also work with local communities and support professional and unpaid carers by sharing resources and offering training and mentoring, so they can provide the best care they can.
Our services
We provide a wide range of services supporting people at different stages of their illness or bereavement. It is never too early (or late) to get in touch and ask for help. If you or a family member need support from Highland Hospice please call us, or send an email and we will help you find the answers and support you need.
Our services include:
- Specialist palliative and end-of-life care in our 11-bed unit at Ness House on the riverside in Inverness
- Specialist occupational therapy, physiotherapy, complementary therapies and social and spiritual support for our inpatients, outpatients and those in the community
- Wellbeing services aimed at empowering individuals to optimise quality of life and supporting their families
- A flexible home care service supporting people nearing the end of life to remain at home or to return home from hospital
- A 24/7 helpline providing advice, support and information for patients nearing the end of life, their families, carers and professionals anywhere in the Highlands and Argyll and Bute
- Specialist advice and support for patients with palliative and end-of-life care needs in hospital
- Adult, young person and child bereavement services
- Volunteer befriending and support providing respite for unpaid carers and tackling the loneliness and isolation which often accompanies deteriorating health and is exacerbated in remote and rural communities
- Knowledge exchange, training and mentoring with the wider health and social care workforce and the public
Our funding
All our services are offered free of charge to those in the Highlands who need them.
We are an independent local charity and although the NHS provides an annual grant, we still need additional funds of £10,000 a day to cover the costs of delivering all our care.
We raise this money through our fundraising and retail activities. You can contribute by volunteering, organising a fundraising event, making a cash donation, donating goods for our shops, or shopping with us. Your support makes a meaningful difference to people when they need it most.