New Hospice Helpline

ROTARY CLUB HEARS OF HIGHLAND HOSPICE PLANS

Ken Johnston A new Palliative Care Helpline for Lochaber, launched in January was revealed in advance to members of Lochaber Rotary Club. Guest speakers Maggie Wilson and Janet Sidgwick from Highland Hospice spoke of the new project and how well the charity shop in Fort William High Street was doing.

For six years, until 2020, Janet was a trustee on the overall board of management of Highland Hospice and is now a volunteer in the Fort William shop, with Maggie as manager.

Together they delivered an absorbing and interesting talk – covering the 35-year history of the Highland Hospice, stressing the importance of end-of-life support, and outlining the spin off services and projects including Project Echo (Extension of Community Health Outcomes), which was established in Highland in 2016 and works with community based healthcare professionals around Highland – GPs, Macmillan nurses, pharmacists, care workers in the community and care homes to provide web-based seminars and mentoring.

Janet explained that the hospice is also hoping to expand its new service, End of Life Together, explaining: “This is a partnership of Highland organisations whose aim is to improve palliative and endof-life care for people where it matters most. This will include a 24/7 help line – a Palliative Care Helpline – which was launching in January and is there for the public as well as professionals. This means the patient, family and carers will be able to access professional advice day and night. This was trialled during lockdown and was much appreciated.”

The hospice’s palliative care consultant visits Lochaber on a regular basis and Janet is keen that the new Belford Hospital project team should have input from the hospice into the design and the services to be included in the new hospital.

With her art and window dressing background, Maggie has created a vibrant retail charity shop located in the heart of town, which took more than £233,000 in 2022.

Feedback from the public is positive and enthusiastic, and profitability has improved year on year. Currently, Maggie is exploring other potential directions for the shop and is in discussion with other local voluntary organisations to assist in her vision of using the basement area for restoring and recycling furniture.

For further information please contact the shop.