Background The healthcare professional must look beyond the facts of diagnosis and medical treatment to see the person within the experience. Only then can the patient benefit from spiritual and comprehensive holistic care. This need is amplified within the realms of palliative care. After honest conversations about the gaps in our service provision, we began a journey to develop spiritual care across the service.

Aim To ensure the outcomes of spiritual care assessment continually inform all personalized care planning for every patient. That our clinical teams are equipped and empowered to provide excellent spiritual care for all patients and their loved ones.

Method The hospice team reviewed relevant published literature. A Spiritual Care Lead post was created. A clinical staff survey was formulated to identify understanding, strengths, and weaknesses to inform education provision and staff support. We got to know our community’s faith and belief groups and asked what they needed from their hospice and planned to reclaim the Sanctuary space. A working group was formed to analyse the process and provision of spiritual care and implement key changes.

Results Our first Spiritual Care Lead joined the MDT in 2022. 18 surveys were completed which resulted in classroom and in practice forms of education being developed. Routine staff support and reflective practice sessions are offered by the Spiritual Care Lead. Representation from across the community’s faith and belief groups now form a vital resource and together we celebrate Inter Faith Week. The hospice now has a welcoming Sanctuary with key resources for different faiths. ‘About Me’ – a spiritual care assessment was created and trialled in practice where it continues to inform the holistic care of patients.

Conclusion Spiritual care is now a considered and continually developing aspect of the care the hospice provides for the community.