Background Responding to contexts such as Prof. Allan Kellehear’s ‘95% rule’ (The social nature of dying and the social model of health. In: Abel & Kellehear (eds). Oxford textbook of public health palliative care. Oxford University Press; 2022) regarding the impact of loneliness for people approaching end of life, our hospice embraced a Compassionate Communities agenda in 2021. Mindful that the impact of social relationships on mortality rates is comparable with mortality risk factors such as smoking and alcohol (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, Layton. PLoS Med. 2010; 7(7): e1000316), we aimed to develop a range of non-clinical, community-based initiatives to reduce isolation. ‘Saturday Social’ was one such initiative – a monthly community coffee morning.

Aim To reduce social isolation for the community of Hastings & Rother, thereby improving health outcomes.

Method Having secured funding from the National Lottery, a venue was chosen on the hospice site for monthly gatherings. Community volunteers were recruited and trained to facilitate the events. Staff from the Compassionate Communities department facilitated the events, with the intention of withdrawing once established. Volunteers recorded quantitative and qualitative research with attendees around perceived improvements in wellbeing. Over time, adjacent Clinical Services staff began informally attending to provide support, occasionally signposting clients on waiting lists to Saturday Social as a holding point.

Results By 2024, data suggests that the events were improving attendee wellbeing (93% increase over 302 attendees), however, the events remained staff-led. Opposing perspectives within the organisation were voiced on whether handing the event fully over to the community (withdrawing staff) was ethically ‘safe’, e.g. what if people were traumatized by the content of their discussions? Others raised safeguarding concerns regarding volunteer reporting, boundaries etc. Reviewing our original project proposal, we realised the initiative had drifted from its original aims: a clinical, therapeutic perspective had permeated the project.

Conclusion We see clear benefits to wellbeing from light-touch community social events. However, discipline is required in communicating the aims of such community-led initiatives to a largely clinical organisation, to prevent service-led ‘mission drift’.