St Luke’s Hospice to close in-patient facility doors for good

Pippa Hudson speaks with Dr Ronita Mahilall, CEO of St Luke's Combined Hospices.

Listen below.

The St Luke’s Combined Hospices Kenilworth In-Patient Unit is an 18-bed facility which provides end-of-life care for patients and support for their family.

At the end of this month, it will close its doors for good after 44 years.

ALSO READ:

• Emergency Funds for Emergency Surgery: How YOU can help save lives at Groote Schuur
• Mental health during the festive season: 'It's okay not to be okay' - SA Depression & Anxiety Group

The final patients were taken in on 4 December and they will be discharged by 18 December.

These patients will be referred to other facilities for end-of-life care, like Living Hope in Fish Hoek or Abundant Life in the Southern Suburbs.

Mahilall says they are closing so they can use their resources to care for their other palliative care patients.

“Patients want to die at home if they have the opportunity to do so. It made greater sense to decant and strengthen our community based palliative care.”

- Dr Ronita Mahilall, CEO of St Luke's Combined Hospices 

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.