Ashgate Hospicecare identified that it needed to become more diverse to enable it to engage fully with the local community. It launched ‘Let’s Talk Inclusion’ events. This was a key strategic priority for three main reasons. One, to ensure that its services were equitable and available for the whole of the community of North Derbyshire, two, to enable it to have access to key health care professionals and volunteers and be seen as a leading employer in the area and thirdly to have the support from the whole community for its retail and fundraising endeavours.

Links were made with the local Iman and the Muslim community in Chesterfield. They provided education on the care of the Muslim patient at end of life. We were invited to the mosque to be with the community as they broke fast during Ramadan. Fifteen members of staff accepted the invitation. Members of the Muslim community are now volunteers at the hospice. Members of other faith groups are speaking to the hospice.

In February 2019 we had a speaker from the LGBTQ+ community talk about the history of gay rights and related civil rights movements. We launched our own Ashgate Hospicecare rainbow badge and launched our first LGBTQ+ and allies group. Staff and volunteers work together to plan for Pride Chesterfield and other ways to ensure that the hospice engages and meets the needs of those that identify from this part of our community.

We have engaged with charities that support those with sight loss and hearing impediments and those that work with the travelling community and homeless.

Human Rights training has excited hospice staff and there is a planned rollout of this across the hospice.

‘Let’s Talk Inclusion’ has gathered momentum within the hospice and within short months tangible evidence is emerging of the difference this is making for our patients, relatives, staff and volunteers.