Help the Hospices has launched an online resource for people working in the palliative care sector this week, in partnership with nine care organisations around the world.
The news and information platform, ehospice, which aims to become an international hub for the sector, has launched initially as a desktop website but plans to add mobile and tablet versions in the future.
The website will be split into the nine (full list below) regional or national sections, one international section and one children’s section. Help the Hospices will manage the content for the UK section.
The cost of setting up the project has been funded by grants from Help the Hospices and the US hospice care organisation (National Hospice and Palliative Care Organisation), while each of the nine contributing organisations are responsible for paying staff to update their edition.
David Praill, chief executive of Help the Hospices and co-chair of the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance (WPCA) said: “This exciting new resource will revolutionise the way the palliative care community shares news and intelligence across the sector.”
He added: “We hope by giving professionals around the world access to the cutting edge of hospice and palliative care developments more children and adults with a life-limiting illness will receive the best care and support, irrespective or where they are in the world.”
To maintain and develop the platform Help the Hospices plans to fundraise and sell advertising space on the site.
It took a year and a half from the initial idea to the launch. A UK designer was Domenic Lippa at Pentagram was appointed to design the site and HeadChannel developed the platform.
In 2009 Help the Hospices was involved in setting up the WPCA as a global network to support the palliative care worldwide. It is a registered charity in the UK and has more than 50 member organisations.
List of ehospice partners:
- African Palliative Care Association – All Africa edition
- Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association – Canada edition
- Help the Hospices – UK edition
- Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa – South Africa edition
- Indian Palliative Care Association – India edition
- International Children’s Palliative Care Network – International children’s edition
- Kenya Hospice and Palliative Care Association – Kenya edition
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organisation – US edition (from January 2013)
- Palliative Care Australia – Australia edition
- Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance – International edition
