Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead has been appointed as a Patron for Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice. The local charity cares for and supports people with a terminal illness and their families, in the two London boroughs.
Abena is a longstanding advocate of the hospice and its work, and in her role as a Patron, she will continue to support the charity which has just embarked on a new five-year strategy that will see them continuing to improve its services to the people of Greenwich and Bexley. This will mean a greater focus on ensuring more wide-reaching access to care and support, and ultimately, an improved quality of life for patients in the community who need hospice care and support.
A well-respected member of our community
Ruth Russell, Hospice Chair of the Board of Trustees said “We’re so excited to have Abena joining our hospice team. She has been incredibly supportive of the hospice and its staff since she was first elected to Parliament, and I hope that as a Patron, she will help us to let local people know that the hospice is there for all of them, and that we are here to listen to them and to respond to what is important to them and their families. Abena is such a well-respected and approachable member of our community, and her involvement will hopefully help people to understand that the hospice is not a scary place, but that they can come and talk to us, find out about what we have to offer, and get involved.”
Abena said “I am proud to have supported Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice’s work over many years and am delighted to join as a Patron. Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice provide a vital service to residents of Erith and Thamesmead and I look forward to using this role to raise awareness and encourage our community to find out more about the compassionate care and support they provide to people with terminal illnesses.”
As part of its new strategy, the hospice will focus on making improvements in three key areas which are key to its future success: making sure that patient and community voices are heard and listened to, to improve services; using digital technology to improve care; and working with colleagues and partners to reach more people and improve end of life care beyond the hospice’s services.