Chester: Ursula Keyes Trust help hospice with £40k of essential kit

The Ursula Keyes Trust provided The Hospice of the Good Shepherd with the generous donation, which will be used to replace electric adaptable riser/recliner patient armchairs in the inpatient unit, with pressure relief, specialised pressure mattresses, a blood pressure monitor, dual bed and chair movement sensors, a new aspirator and new infusion drip stands.

The hospice relies on public donations and corporate funding for 80 percent of its total running costs.

"The staff and trustees at the Hospice of the Good Shepherd do such amazing work for our local communities and they need and deserve the best equipment to achieve this," said John Brimelow, on behalf of the Trustees of the Ursula Keyes Trust.

Ursula Keyes Trust trustees, John Brimelow and Liz Redmond examining the special pressure mattresses (Image: Ursula Keyes Trust)

"Our Trust is honoured and proud to be able to help continue the tradition of offering the very best care to end-of-life patients, their families and loved ones."

Director of Income Generation at The Hospice of the Good Shepherd, Caroline Siddall commented: "For the last 35 years an amazing team of doctors, nurses, other healthcare professionals and volunteers have been looking after the people that matter most to us - our loved ones, friends, colleagues - when they need it most and when they are at their most vulnerable and afraid. On behalf of that team, I thank the trustees of the Ursula Keyes Trust for their most generous grant to provide the equipment the team needs to continue that valued work and provide the very best care possible."

Caroline added: "It’s only through kind gifts, thoughtful donations and other magnificent fundraising efforts against a background of rising costs that the hospice can keep doing what is doing so well: helping individuals and their families from every community across West Cheshire and Deeside to get the most from the last chapter of their lives."

During a visit to the hospice, Ursula Keys Trustees were shown around the inpatient unit to see for themselves how their donation will directly benefit patients. New mattresses funded by the grant will significantly reduce the incidence of debilitating pressure sores.

Deputy Ward Manager Cat Haycox explained that the Hospice is experiencing significant pressure sore reductions using the mattresses, chairs, pads and monitors of the type funded by the Ursula Keyes Trust: "The difference this donation will make to patients over the next few years in terms of their safety and comfort is immeasurable and we are incredibly grateful for the Trust’s support."