Hospice Twinning

Twinning enables hospices in different countries to work together to develop friendship and professional links amongst staff and volunteers.

Since 2006, Sue Ryder Care staff (including nurses, doctors, chaplains, volunteer coordinators and complementary therapists) have been exchanging their own experiences of palliative care with overseas partners in Poland and Albania; building knowledge and imparting skills.  

Each twinning link has taken on its own character, reflecting the different personalities of the staff and volunteers involved, the different countries and specific needs of each hospice.  

Twinning reinforces the common aims and principles of hospice everywhere. It builds solidarity between hospice staff and volunteers who often work in some of the most challenging social and political contexts. The scheme has enabled staff to visit their partner hospice to observe practices and deliver training in the following areas:

• Spiritual Care (Polish link)
• Volunteer recruitment and management (Polish link)
• Hospice-at-home (Polish link)
• Lymphoedema treatment (Albanian link)
• Complementary Therapies (Albanian link)
• Bereavement Care (Albanian link)
• Public relations and fundraising (both links)
• Cultural variations in palliative care delivery (both links)

Sharing skills with Ryder Albania

In 2007, Sue Ryder Care - Wheatfields Hospice in Leeds warmly welcomed Head Nurse Nermin Vokopola and Dr Jonida Tula from Ryder Albania. It was our Albanian colleagues' very first visit to the UK - and their first chance to visit a hospice other than their own!

Dr Tula remarked: "This was a great opportunity to learn about the whole of palliative care. In Albania we have no bereavement service or complementary therapies. The structure of our healthcare services is also very different. But this is something we are going to be working hard to change. We are determined to do this with the support of Sue Ryder Care."

For more information about our hospice twinning links email us or call +44 (0)207 4000 637.

We would like to thank the Allan and Nesta Charitable Trust for their generous contribution to this programme in 2007.