Hospice Overview

St Christopher’s Hospice exists to promote and provide skilled and compassionate palliative care of the highest quality. 

Our vision is of a world in which all dying people and those close to them have access to appropriate care and support, when they need it, wherever they need it and whoever they are.

We serve a diverse population of 1.5 million people in the London boroughs of Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, reaching some of England’s most deprived areas. All our care is provided free of charge. St Christopher’s is an adult hospice caring for patients from the age of 18 upwards.

St Christopher’s care services are delivered in a range of settings including patients’ own homes, our four inpatient wards and our Anniversary Centre.  Our palliative care is delivered by coordinated teams of specialist doctors and nurses; physiotherapists and occupational therapists; social workers and welfare support workers and also includes adult bereavement services psychiatrist support; arts and complementary therapies; spiritual and religious care; and specialist support for bereaved children.

End of Life Care Education and Research has always been at the centre of our work. 

St Christopher's extends its teaching and influence nationally and internationally through extensive programmes of education and research.  Every year over 7,000 health and social care professionals attend our Education Centre courses and outreach programmes.  The 2012 Education Programme offers a wide range of courses and training in Palliative and End of Life Care.

We are a registered charity.

It costs over £14 million every year to deliver all our services.  Only about one third of our income comes from the NHS. We must raise more than £9 million to continue to deliver our patient and family services free of charge.  This balance must be raised from grants, legacies, the generous support of our local community, local businesses, trusts and through our shops.