Frequently Asked Questions

Who pays for Duchess of Kent House?

Reading’s specialist palliative care centre (hospice) is part funded by the NHS (Berkshire West Primary Care Trust) and partly by the independent charity called Duchess of Kent House Charity (charity registration number: 1085912). The budget for the unit is approximately £3.7 million per annum, with the charity contributing up to 20%, depending on fundraising and other receipts.

How many patients are treated at the House?

Duchess of Kent House is a full-service hospice meaning that it has 16 in-patient beds, 3 day therapy sessions (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), an out-patients department and a ‘Mac’ service (visiting Macmillan nurses). In the 15 years since our opening over 12,000 patients have been treated.

The area served includes the council areas of Reading, Newbury (West Berkshire) and Wokingham plus surrounding districts – effectively west and central Berkshire, with a total population of nearly ½ million.

Because the Duchess of Kent House is a NHS facility, treatment is provided free of charge to all, according to need. The charity exists to fundraise for many services and equipment not provided by the NHS, for which there is also no charge – however donations are always welcome!

The charity directly employs just two members of staff: the Director of Fundraising and a part time finance assistant We also have a self-employed admin helper who comes in once a week, and 5 ‘office’ volunteers who come into help one day each every week.

Six trustees meet once a month to discuss the strategic direction and oversee the management of the charity. Our patron is Sir William Benyon.

How many volunteers are there and what do they do?

The charity relies on up to 200 volunteers on an ad hoc basis who help with fundraising, either at events like summer fairs, street collections or performances, or with mailing newsletters, serving in the shop, recycling greetings cards etc. These fundraising volunteers come under the auspices of the director of fundraising and are not to be confused with the volunteers who actually help in the hospice who come under the NHS Volunteer Co-ordinator.

What does the Charity use its funds for?

Each year the charity agrees with NHS managers the level of financial support it can give for the following 12 months. Currently the charity provides the unit with sufficient funds for the Bereavement (Family Support) Service and pays for the dietician, psychologists, diversional therapist, aromatherapist, chaplaincy and the new Befriending Service. Other grants are also made for equipment, staff training and patient outings.