St Leonard’s Hospice in York has given a £500 bonus to all of its employees to thank them for going “above and beyond” during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
According to the Tadcaster Road hospice, which provides specialist palliative care and support for life limiting illnesses, the £500 bonus was awarded to 200 members of staff. A £350 bonus was also given to a group of bank workers who helped throughout the pandemic.
A spokeswoman told the York Press that all of the hospice's teams had worked “tirelessly” through the pandemic, and that the bonuses were in line with what hospitals and other hospices had been giving to recognise how staff had “gone above and beyond” during Covid.
"We were faced with daily challenges, which included protecting our patients, ourselves, families, volunteers and supporters from the unknown. The passion and drive to continue to serve our community in need of end of life care was always the focus.
"Staff worked flexibly and collaboratively to meet increased service demands, whilst managing the struggles of everyday life that the pandemic enforced on the world, always striving to achieve their best and support those who needed us most,” she said.
The hospice has been providing care and support for the local community, terminally ill people, those with life limiting conditions, and their families and carers for the past 35 years.
The York Press reported last September that the number of inpatients cared for had been cut due to staff shortages, with some caring for people in their own homes. Before Covid, a maximum of 20 inpatients were cared for at any one time. The maximum has been five patients, although the organisation intends to return to 20 inpatients again when the pandemic is over.
