Local charity donates £1.15m to Tŷ Olwen Hospice

In its biggest single financial donation since its inception in 1981, the trust is funding just over £1.15m in the Tŷ Olwen Specialist Palliative Care Service over the course of three years.

Tŷ Olwen had ten inpatients prior to the investment and will now have fourteen.  Eleven new members of staff in full and part-time roles have been recruited – five nurses and four health care support workers, along with two new positions to the service – a social worker and rehabilitation assistant which strengthens the services multi-disciplinary approach.

The charity said that the rehabilitation assistant role is one which people don’t tend to associate with specialist palliative care, but Tŷ Olwen supports people to have the best quality of life regardless of where they are on their disease journey. 

The charity added that when patients are discharged Tŷ Olwen wants them to be able to go home and be able to stay home if they want and there’s a better chance they can do that if they’ve received some rehabilitation. 

Having a social worker will get patients home in a timelier manner and help plan for that discharge much more effectively and take pressure of the nursing staff.

The funding also impacts positively on staff in terms of reducing stress and increasing morale as it helps them give the right amount of care to their patients.

Tŷ Olwen Trust chair, Helen Murray MBE, said: “Since its inception in 1981, the Tŷ Olwen Trust has contributed over £18million to support the Tŷ Olwen Service to cover equipment, education, staff salaries and all the extras for the comfort of our patients and their families that make Tŷ Olwen the special place it is. The Tŷ Olwen Trust’s regular ongoing annual financial support remains at £500,000.

“At the centre of all the work done by the Tŷ Olwen Trust are the patients and families that Tŷ Olwen supports with the highest possible excellent professional care, whether in Tŷ Olwen, the main hospitals or their own home. The trustees are incredibly proud of the Tŷ Olwen service and all its staff and have fully supported the service for 42 years and will continue to do so.

“All our staff and volunteers are exceptional people who give so much care, support and love to our patients and their families. We are aware that this level of giving can put them under pressure and we as a Trust are fully committed to supporting them with wellbeing initiatives which include counselling, a time out space and social events.”

“When the Trustees heard that our staff were having to refuse patients admission to Tŷ Olwen due to lack of beds they were naturally incredibly upset, not only for the patients, but for the staff having to tell them. Discussions with the Health Board resulted in the agreement that the Tŷ Olwen Trust would fund the salaries of the additional staff required to bring Tŷ Olwen up to 14 beds with the Health Board would pick up the cost after 3 years.”  

“Thanks to the generosity of the people in the Swansea Bay Health Board area over the years and prudent house keeping the Tŷ Olwen Trust was able to take money from its reserves, but this now has to be replaced. Once again we are asking for the public’s support to help to ensure the vital work of the Tŷ Olwen Palliative Care Service can continue for years to come.  Perhaps they could “give a tenner for Tŷ Olwen” or organise a fundraiser for us. The list is endless.”

Lead image: (Front row, from left) Tracey Rowe; Tŷ Olwen Trust chair Helen Murray MBE and Dr Gwenllian Davies. (Back row, from left) Tŷ Olwen Trust’s Stuart Roberts, Tracy Hancock, Gareth Lewis and Paul Murray.