The Mayor of Brighton and Hove joined volunteers and NHS colleagues on Monday (30 March) to mark the first anniversary of A Friend In Need, a service providing companionship to patients in hospital in their final days and hours.
Over the past year, the partnership between University Hospitals Sussex, the Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals, and the Anne Robson Trust has grown from a pilot into a vital pillar of pastoral care. Supported by a dedicated team of 17 volunteers, the service has enriched the end-of-life care service at Royal Sussex County Hospital.
In an emotional address, Mayor Cllr Amanda Grimshaw said: “I am blown away and deeply moved by the dedication of the volunteers. To sit with someone at the end of their life is a profound act of service. I commend every one of them, as well as the Friends and the Trust, for ensuring compassion and dignity are at the heart of our hospital care.”
In the UK, around 1 in 2 people die in a hospital setting, with research suggesting that up to 92% of those with a terminal illness experience loneliness. In its first year, the hospital’s A Friend In Need service supported 994 people, including 383 patients and 611 family members, through nearly 900 bedside visits.
Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Professor Ollie Minton, said:
“We only have one chance to get it right at the end of someone’s life, and our volunteers provide invaluable companionship when it’s needed most. This is about dignity, compassion, and being there at the most important time.”
The Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals fund the role of A Friend in Need volunteer coordinator Lou Ikiua, who is the critical link between clinicians, families, and the Anne Robson Trust that provides specialist training for the volunteers. Reflecting on the first year’s impact, Lou said: “Reaching our first anniversary is a proud achievement, but what stands out most are the hundreds of small, human moments – sitting quietly with a patient or offering a calm presence to exhausted relatives.
“While we’ve provided more than 300 hours of companionship, we know demand is growing, so our focus now is on strengthening our volunteer community and expanding our reach so more people can benefit from this support. We want to ensure that as we enter our second year, no patient has to face the end of their life alone.”
For the volunteers, the experience is one of mutual enrichment. Jenny Barnes said: “If a patient is awake, we speak about their life and adventures. If they are not responsive, their loved ones talk for them. It’s about knowing they have mattered, do matter, and will always matter. The life and love go on.”
To further enhance the service patients and families, the Friends are also developing a new A Friend In Need sensory garden at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. And the success of the Brighton model has led the palliative care team to explore introducing A Friend In Need to the Trust’s other hospitals, beginning with the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath.
Chris Rendel, Chair of the Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals, said: “Patients and families tell us how much this companionship means to them. That is the only encouragement we need to do even more, and we’re excited to mark the scheme’s second year by funding the creation of a dedicated sensory garden where families can spend quality time together in the hospital in their final days.”
The Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals charity has supported the city’s hospitals for more than 60 years. To find out more about supporting the charity or becoming a volunteer, please visit www.brightonhospitalfriends.org.uk.