The chief executive of Hospice UK, David Praill is set to retire from the charity in July after 18 years in the role.

Praill originally joined the national hospice charity in 1996, when it was Help the Hospices. In his time with the charity, Praill has played a central role in developing the organisation’s grant programmes. In the last ten years, Hospice UK have distributed over £150m worth of grants, most recently £60m worth from the Department of Health.

He also helped create and launch eHospice - a digital, palliative news and information website in 2012. The website has participating organisations based around the globe. 

Praill, who first started working in the hospice sector in 1991, is also a co-chair of the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance. The WHPCA is a non-governmental, hospice action network which features members from over 70 countries around the world.

Lord Howard of Lympne, Chair of Hospice UK, has praised Praill’s hard-work and commitment to the sector:

“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank David for his immense contribution to Hospice UK’s work over nearly two decades.

“During that time he has spearheaded key organisational changes to our governance structures, established and developed our grant programmes to support hospice care and led several successful initiatives to move end of life care higher up the national agenda.”

Praill has said that now, after nearly 20 years in charge, it is time for both himself and Hospice UK to move on.

“It has been an incredible privilege to have led Hospice UK for the last 18 years but the time has come for a change. I have enjoyed an extraordinarily rewarding career in the hospice care sector and am proud of what has been achieved,” he said.

The recruitment process for a new chief executive will begin this month.