Dr Kershaw’s is on an international mission to improve care

Our Hospice Medical Director, Dr Matthias Hohmann, met with experts while visiting family in his home town of Neumünster.

Diakonie Altholstein, an independent non-profit organisation, operates inpatient and outpatient care facilities for the elderly. Construction for its new 12-bed ‘Maria & Martha Hospiz’ in Neumünster is set to start in September 2025.

Ahead of the building project, Dr Hohmann met with Katharina Kuhlmann-Becker, Field Manager of Palliative Care at Diakonie Altholstein.

Dr Hohmann said: “We discussed the similarities, differences, challenges and opportunities of hospice care in both countries. German citizens are legally entitled to access to specialist palliative care under the 2015 Hospice and Palliative Care Act.

In contrast, UK hospices only receive a minority of their funding form the state and depend to a large extent on the goodwill and charity of their local community. Many UK hospices are finding it difficult to make ends meet and we are continuing to campaign in parliament for adequate financial support. The UK is the very birthplace of modern hospice care. It therefore seems regrettable that we are increasingly falling behind other countries in recognising the invaluable service that hospices provide for people with life-limiting illnesses.”

In March, our Hospice CEO of Dr Kershaw’s Hospice joined hospice leaders at the Houses of Parliament to ask MPs to support reforming the funding model for hospices. Since 2020, hospice costs in Greater Manchester have risen by 33%, with two-thirds of costs paid for by fundraising within the local community.

As the only hospice in Oldham, Dr Kershaw’s Hospice provides free care to patients and families, but we rely on donations to fund our services.

Alongside the visit to Germany, our Hospice has been working with diverse communities to make their care more inclusive.

Dr Hohmann added: “The meeting with Frau Kuhlmann-Becker also highlighted how palliative care services in other countries use different clinical strategies to relieve pain and other distressing symptoms. Learning from our partners allows us at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice to provide more effective and comprehensive care. It was a really beneficial and inspiring exchange, with much food for thought on both sides.”