Background A limited number of outpatient Day Services were offered at the hospice largely addressing the clinical needs of a small number of patients. Day Services’ aim was to reach more patients and their carers at an earlier stage of illness and with a broader range of conditions, including dementia. Day Services would also provide a safe space where people could meet others, share experiences and build a supportive community.

Aims

• To attract patients and carers to Day Services through non-threatening, supportive activities to enhance wellbeing and enable access to other hospice services.

• To create a sustainable volunteer based model of service delivery alongside anexternal funding plan.

Approach Over the course of a year we introduced a broad range of supportive services including reminiscence groups with music, dance and memory bunting, tea dances, a choir, hairdressing, art therapy, complementary therapies and life writing groups. We recruited skilled volunteers and were successful in funding bids to deliver some of the services.

Outcomes 144 patients and carers accessed Day Services in 2014–2015.

44% of people accessing Day Services attended a new supportive service first rather than a clinical service.

There was an increase in the number of people referring themselves to Day Services rather than coming via a health professional.

After attending these services, people said they felt happy, peaceful, young, relaxed, energised, upbeat and calm.

Conclusions The introduction of non-clinical, supportive services has increased the number of people accessing Day Services and raised the profile of Day Services internally and externally. Working in partnership with other organisations, utilising skilled volunteers and securing external funding for specific services have all been vital to the delivery of these new services.

The new services have each received very positive feedback. There is now a clear need to introduce an overall measure of wellbeing for Day Services.