Press Release from Prospect Hospice: Local employers join up to sign Swindon’s Dying Well Community Charter
Date: 30 March 2017
Increasing numbers of employers in Swindon have put their names to the Dying Well Community Charter, a commitment to support staff when they have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, are supporting a loved one towards the end of their lives or have recently suffered a bereavement. The number of local organisations who have pledged to show their support to their staff through difficult times has grown in recent months to include both New College and Swindon College, and regional legal firm Thrings.
The Charter, which was launched in May last year, was developed to bring greater understanding of the problems faced by working people who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, or who care for people who are approaching the end of their lives. Among the organisations involved in the original development are the Great Western Hospital, Healthwatch Swindon, NHSSwindon’s clinical commissioning group, Swindon Community Health Services, Swindon Borough Council, Swindon Carers Centre and Prospect Hospice.
Signing the Charter costs nothing, but the group promoting it have asked that organisations commit to demonstrating their support for the Charter by promoting bereavement and compassionate leave policies, offering flexible working patterns to employees during times of dying and death, signposting employees, volunteers and students to additional support resources and embedding supportive practices for people who are affected.
Warren Finney, head of community engagement at Prospect Hospice, said: The Charter has been developed to help local businesses ensure the best possible support for their employees who are living through profoundly difficult circumstances. We know that, nationally, there are going to be around 6 million people who are caring for people with a life-limiting or terminal illness, and many businesses locally will have staff members who are living through circumstances like this. The Dying Well Community Charter offers those businesses the chance to show that they are committed to supporting staff who are trying – and sometimes failing – to balance their work commitments with the hardships they face at home.”
He added: “We are delighted to have been joined recently by both Swindon College and New College, and also Thrings. We encourage other employers to get in touch to put their name to a Charter that now already supports around 12,000 people.”
The Charter was launched last year following an extensive consultation period to uncover the things that would matter most to local people if they or a loved one was in the last months and weeks of their lives.
To find out more about joining the organisations committed to the Dying Well Community Charter, email
About Prospect Hospice:
Since 1980, Prospect Hospice has been providing the only dedicated end-of-life care service for the 300,000 people living in our community – bringing care, comfort and confidence, around the clock, every day of the year. The hospice does this 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through its 16 bed in-patient unit, Day Hospice, CNS Team and Prospect@Home Service.
Media enquiries:
For media enquiries contact:
Warren Finney, Head of Community Engagement, Prospect Hospice 01793 813355 or email
Felicity Hindle, Communications Officer, Prospect Hospice 01793 816179 or email