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Who we areWhat is PATCH?

PATCH is the first charity specifically to support 24/7 specialist palliative care for patients in hospital. We do this by supporting practical projects that improve symptom control, communication, education, and innovation in busy hospital settings.

PATCH's mission is to ensure that every patient, in every Scottish hospital can be confident that they will receive specialist palliative care, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, if they need it.

Dr Pamela Levack, PATCH Medical Director

The need for PATCH was first voiced at the bedside of a very unwell patient on a busy surgical ward, when his wife said, "There has to be a better way than this." That challenge helped lead to an acute palliative care unit at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee: a short-stay unit opened in 2009 with strong charitable support from people in Tayside, where a multidisciplinary team could focus on state-of-the-art symptom control and careful support for patients and families.

PATCH was later inspired by that model of care and exists to spread similar practical improvements more widely. The aim is to help hospitals deliver specialist palliative care when it is needed, not only during office hours.

Hospital provision varies across Scotland; specialist palliative care on site around the clock is not guaranteed everywhere.

Imagine how much better patient care would be if all patients had skilled, specialist palliative care available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. That's what we aim to do.

could provide two sessions of complementary therapy.
£50
could provide ten sessions of physiotherapy to help patients go home.
£500
could provide palliative care pharmacy input for the hospital for two months.
£5000
could fund one PATCH bed staffed by a specialist palliative care team for six weeks.
£10,000
could provide a patient with care from a palliative care nurse for six months.
£25,000
could fund one PATCH bed staffed by a palliative care specialist team for one year.
£150,000

ImpactA small charity making a big difference

Over 11 years, PATCH has helped fund training, research, and practical support, often by backing early-stage initiatives that later scale.

nurses supported through courses and postgraduate study.
~240
relatives’ beds funded so families can stay overnight.
5
medical students supported on a communications course now in core curriculum.
160/yr

Skilled palliative care needs to be a core activity of all hospitals

PATCH supports hospitals to improve palliative care so patients can receive high quality care when they need it, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

  • Patients and families. We want patients and families to have confidence that staff will take the time to talk over what is happening and to help them and their families talk about further care.
  • Staff. We are addressing the need for more research about hospital-based palliative care, so that treatments and care can be based on solid evidence.
  • Hospitals. If symptoms and concerns are dealt with more rapidly, there will be fewer complaints about care and patients will be able to get home sooner (if they wish).

Board

  • John Rainey ChM, FRCSEd

    Chairman

    John is a retired general surgeon, whose major interest was in Surgical Oncology. He practiced in West Lothian, Edinburgh and the Borders in Scotland. Laterally he was Associate Medical Director for NHS Borders focusing on the provision of Cancer Services and Palliative Care.

  • Steven Thompson

    Director of Digital Services

    Steven has been developing and designing websites since 2007. He is currently a web developer for both Zaza Shelley and Teamtailor.

  • Kate Forster

    Director

    Kate is a communications consultant, and supported the launch of PATCH in Scotland, as well as raising awareness for the projects which the charity supports.

  • Dr Pamela Levack FRCP

    Medical Director

    Pamela has 36 years of NHS experience both as a general practitioner and for the last 15 years as a consultant in palliative medicine in Tayside.

  • Mrs Trudy McLeay MSc DCRR

    Secretary

    Trudy has worked as a radiographer in the NHS for 41 years and was a fundraiser for the Ninewells Acute Palliative Care unit for four years.

Patron

  • Professor Sir Alfred Cuschieri MD FRSE FRCS

    PATCH Patron

    Professor Sir Alfred Cuschieri is an internationally recognised pioneer of minimally invasive surgery. He is currently Chief Scientific Advisor at the Institute of Medical Science and Technology in Dundee.

Former

  • Dr Gordon Paterson OBE FRCPEdin

    Interim Chairman

    Gordon worked for 34 years in the NHS, initially as a general practitioner and latterly as Director of Public Health for NHS Grampian.

Latest news

How PATCH funding for postgraduate study helped shape one nurse's career in palliative care

"The investment PATCH gave genuinely made a difference" When staff nurse Olivia McGinley applied to PATCH for support with modules to complete an MSc in Palliative Care, PATCH provided part of the funding alongside her employer and Olivia herself. Since completing her MSC Olivia has gone on to become a Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic (HPB) Clinical Nurse Specialist. More recently she was approached by her hospital's palliative care team and encouraged to apply for a Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist post covering maternity leave, which she has taken up. Olivia shared what this has meant to her: "I've been reflecting recently on how much PATCH’s support helped me to complete modules from my MSc in Palliative Care. Looking back, I genuinely believe that being able to start those modules, played a significant part in shaping my career. I truly feel that my postgraduate learning has improved the care I'm able to give to patients and their loved ones. My postgraduate education has helped me stand out as an applicant and opened opportunities for me professionally. Olivia continued: "I know these achievements are the result of a combination of experience, support, and hard work, but I honestly don't think I would have had the same opportunities without the charity's support at that point in my career. I wanted you to know that the investment made in me genuinely made a difference. Why this matters Around half of all deaths in Scotland happen in hospital, yet round-the-clock specialist palliative care is still not guaranteed there. Building that capacity depends on skilled, confident staff and on removing the barriers that stop good nurses from getting the education they need. Olivia sums up what it has meant to her: "Thank you again for everything your charity does to support nurses in developing their knowledge and careers. It has certainly had a lasting impact on mine." Dr Pam Levack, medical director at PATCH commented: “Funding a few postgraduate modules can seem a modest intervention, but it makes a real difference to nursing staff in terms of their skills, confidence and colleague support. It can also be the point at which a career turns towards specialist palliative care, benefiting hundreds of patients and families over the years that follow.” Are you a nurse or healthcare professional looking for support with palliative care education or research? See our funding pages to find out how to apply. Want to help us support more people like her? Donate to PATCH.

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11 years of making a difference: PATCH's impact in palliative care

Since its founding, PATCH (Palliation and the Caring Hospital) has established itself as a uniquely focused force in Scottish healthcare — the only charity specifically dedicated to improving 24/7 specialist palliative care for patients in hospital.

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