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Today, 12 February 2025, The Edward Gostling Foundation and Thames Hospice commemorated the Foundation’s generous legacy gift of £1.5 million with a tree planting ceremony in the Hospice gardens. This significant gift will fund the charity’s Virtual Ward Service over the next five years.
The Virtual Ward is an innovative service providing comprehensive care for terminally ill people in East Berkshire. This consultant-led, multi-disciplinary service enables patients to receive acute medical care in the comfort of their own homes, reducing waiting times and often eliminating the need for hospital admissions which can be distressing for patients and their families.
Denis Taylor, Chair of The Edward Gostling Foundation, expressed pride in supporting Thames Hospice’s growth: “We have watched Thames Hospice grow over the years to meet demand and feel proud to have supported them on their journey. Demand for hospice care locally will grow significantly over the next 10 years and the Foundation wanted to be part of the solution to enable more people to be cared for at home, reducing pressure on the Hospice and hospitals and giving people choice”.
Dr Rachael de Caux, Chief Executive of Thames Hospice, highlighted the transformative impact of the Foundation’s gift: “We are very grateful to the Foundation for helping us to transform our care so that we can grow our services sustainably over the next five years. Our Virtual Ward Service is pivotal to providing excellent patient-centred care, where and when our patients need it. In a very short time, it has become an essential part of our Hospice at Home services.”
Since its launch, the Virtual Ward has supported over 230 patients, alleviating pressure on the Hospice’s Inpatient Unit and facilitating quicker discharges from hospitals. Patients like Michelle Harvey, who lives with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), have benefited from receiving vital care at home.
Reflecting on her experience, Michelle shared:
“Without the Thames Hospice doctors treating me at home, I don’t know where I would have been. I was so scared, but the Virtual Ward team were there for me.”