The job of our welfare service is to listen to the questions or concerns of patients or relatives regarding a range of complex practical and financial problems. We can then guide, support or empower them to deal with the issues raised by liaising with or providing contact details for a range of relevant organisations. We aim to enable our patients and their relatives to gain a successful outcome wherever possible.

Frequently the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness has a severe financial impact, particularly if the person diagnosed is in full time work and supporting a family. Their partner may also have to take time off work or reduce their working hours to become a Carer, meaning the family is suddenly facing a considerable drop in income. This situation can come 'out of the blue' and the family often has no knowledge or experience of dealing with the issues that arise. Our welfare service will help.

Our welfare officers make a considerable impact on the quality of life of patients and their families and the service is in great demand. This is just one of the free services offered by St Peter & St James Hospice which relies on donations from our community to ensure the service is available for every patient who is referred to us. Without this support, many families would be struggling to cope with the financial implications of a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness in the family.