Below are the questions we are most often asked. You can find answers to questions on areas of our work by clicking on one of the links to the left. And please contact us if you have a question that isn't answered here.
Is The Hospice of St Francis a charity?
Is there a cost to being cared for by St Francis?
Do you have to have cancer to receive help from The Hospice of St Francis?
Are children admitted to the Hospice?
How do I get referred to St Francis?
Do you just look after patients in your hospice building?
What do you do to help families?
What is your catchment area?
How do you work with other organisations and health professionals?
What do volunteers do at the Hospice?
What can I do to help?
What difference will my donation make?
Is The Hospice of St Francis a charity?
Yes, The Hospice of St Francis is an independent charity. There are some NHS-run hospices in the UK, but the majority are independent charities like us, founded by local people, delivering hospice care in their local area.
Is there a cost to being cared for by St Francis?
No. All our care is free to the patients and families we support. However
it does cost us over £3 million to run our services each year so all
donations are welcome.
We do receive some funding from the NHS, but only enough to maintain our services for two months. For the remainder, we rely on voluntary donations and the generosity of our local community. Find out more about our fundraising here.
Do you have to have cancer to receive help from The Hospice of St Francis?
No. We look after patients with any serious or terminal illness. When hospices began, about 40 years ago, most of the patients did have cancer. We now look after a range of illnesses including heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease and neurological disease, as well as cancer.
Are children admitted to the Hospice?
No. All our patients are adults. However, helping children and young people affected by the illness or death of someone close to them is a key part of the care our Supportive Care team offer. Find out more here.
How do I get referred to St Francis?
We take referrals from healthcare professionals – often your GP, district nurse, hospital care team or palliative care nurse. You are welcome to call us to enquire about the possibility of care from St Francis but we would then ask you to contact your GP to arrange the referral.
Do you just look after patients in your hospice building?
No. We have 11 inpatient beds open here at the Hospice for adult patients, but we also have a Day Hospice service, see over 600 patients per year as outpatients, and our team of Specialist Homecare Nurses support over 130 patients and families at home at any one time. Find out more here.
What do you do to help families?
The Hospice of St Francis supports the whole family offering practical, emotional and spiritual support. The services offered by our Supportive care team include bereavement support and counselling, welfare and benefits guidance, services of thanksgiving and remembrance, and support for children affected by the illness or death of someone close to them.
What is your catchment area?
The Hospice of St Francis cares primarily for people in North-West Hertfordshire and the Chiltern area of Buckinghamshire, an area with a population of 300,000 people. This includes Tring, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, St Albans, Abbots Langley, Kings Langley, Amersham, Chesham and the Chalfonts. The Hospice of St Francis is the only organisation offering Inpatient beds to patients in this area, and we work very closely with other hospices that provide day hospice and homecare support in parts of our catchment area, notably Grove House in St Albans and Iain Rennie Hospice at Home.
How do you work with other organisations and health professionals?
The mission of The Hospice of St Francis is to work towards excellent palliative care being available to all those with terminal illness in our catchment area when they need it and wherever they are. To achieve this we work with many health professionals - other hospices, but also GPs, district nurses, hospital doctors - anyone who can influence excellent care for patients. We also place great emphasis on our Professional Education programme. Through the wide range of courses we offer we educate others in the care of the dying and promote the culture and philosophy of hospice care. All sessions are linked into the National Knowledge and Skills Framework Core and Specific Dimensions.
What do volunteers do at the Hospice?
900 volunteers play an essential role in every area of The Hospice. Some are involved in patient care, whilst others help customers in our shops, or assist with administrative work. Our volunteers come from all walks of life and range in age from 14 to over 80 years old! Find out more here.
What can I do to help?
The greatest way you can help us is by donating or raising money. You can donate now through our Justgiving page, or take a look at the Support Us pages of this website to find ideas for fun ways to raise money. Why not take part in one of our major fundraising events, like Walk with the Stars. Or join 30 other people in July as they jump out of a plane to celebrate our thirtieth birthday. Or get some friends together for coffee and ask for a contribution to our work. Or leave us a gift in your Will.
What difference will my donation make?
Any gift of any value makes a difference and we will use every gift where it is needed most. As a guide:
£12 a month pays for two oxygen tanks to provide vital relief to our patients
£50 will pay for the petrol for one week for a Specialist nurse to visit patients in their homes
£105 pays for a nurse's shift on our Inpatient Unit back to top