June 1, 2026
Harrison Foundation Visit Highlights Impact of Support at St Cuthbert’s Hospice
Patients and families at St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham are benefiting from new clinical equipment funded by the Harrison Foundation, following a visit by trustee Daniel Harrison MBE.
The visit gave Daniel the opportunity to see first-hand how last year’s Harrison Foundation donation has been used to improve care and support for people living with life-limiting illnesses across County Durham and the wider North East.
St Cuthbert’s Hospice has supported local communities for nearly 40 years, providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care for more than 900 people every year. Its services include a ten-bed in-patient unit, children and young people’s bereavement service, and rehabilitative care and support to patients through its Living Well Centre. The Harrison Foundation funding was used to purchase a range of specialist clinical equipment that is now being used daily across the hospice.
This included new infusion pumps, syringe driver equipment, hi-low beds, medical fall aids, drip stands, and other essential clinical items that directly improve patient comfort, safety and quality of care.
Many patients at the hospice are living with complex conditions, including cancer, dementia and severe mobility issues. The new equipment has strengthened the hospice’s ability to respond to these needs while helping staff continue to deliver high standards of personalised care.
Among the equipment funded were specialist hi-low beds, which support safer patient handling and help reduce the risk of falls for patients who may be confused, disorientated or experiencing reduced mobility.
The donation also funded infusion pumps and syringe driver equipment used to deliver medication safely and effectively, helping to manage pain and symptoms for patients requiring ongoing care.
During the visit, Daniel met hospice staff and heard more about the pressures facing palliative care services, as well as the importance of maintaining modern, high-quality equipment in order to deliver effective care.
The hospice currently provides thousands of face-to-face support sessions every year through its Living Well Centre and wider community services. Last year alone, its in-patient unit cared for 365 people, with 169 patients supported at the end of life.
Alongside direct patient care, St Cuthbert’s also provides children’s bereavement counselling and rehabilitative care and support to patients through its Living Well Centre.
Daniel Harrison MBE said: “Seeing the work being carried out at St Cuthbert’s Hospice really highlights how important these services are across the region and this is something that our family personally benefited from, when the hospice did an incredible job of looking after our Grandma before she passed.”
“The care being provided here is exceptional and it’s clear that having the right equipment in place plays an important role in supporting both patients and staff.”
“We’re pleased that the Foundation has been able to contribute towards equipment that is making a practical difference on a daily basis.”
The visit also reinforced the importance of supporting organisations that provide essential frontline care within local communities.
As demand for hospice and palliative care services continues to increase, access to specialist equipment remains critical to maintaining safe, effective and compassionate care for patients with complex needs.
Laura Barker, Chief Executive Officer at St Cuthbert’s Hospice, added: “We’re incredibly grateful for the Harrison Foundation’s support. Contributions like this have a direct impact on our patients and those closest to them at some of the most difficult times in their lives. They help ensure our teams have the resources they need to deliver the specialist, expert care they provide every day – care that enables us to make every day count for people living with life limiting illnesses.”