Hospital Volunteers Comfort 1,000 Patients at Life's End

When Andy Kelly's mother suffered a sudden heart attack in May 2025, he faced every family's nightmare: watching a loved one slip away in a hospital room. But thanks to volunteers who sat beside her bed, his mother didn't spend her final days alone.

Nearly 1,000 NHS patients and their families have been supported by A Friend In Need, a volunteer service at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust. In just its first year, volunteers made nearly 900 bedside visits, supporting 383 patients and 611 family members through life's most difficult transition.

The program fills a heartbreaking gap in healthcare. Around one in two people in the UK die in hospitals, and research shows up to 92% of those with terminal illness experience loneliness. Family members can't always be present around the clock, leaving many patients to face their final hours without a familiar face nearby.

Volunteer Jenny Barnes captures the mission perfectly. "It's about knowing they have mattered, do matter, and will always matter," she said. "The life and love go on."

Andy Kelly credits the volunteers with making an unbearable situation bearable. "The care provided throughout, including up to the death of my mother a few days later, could not have been any better and made a very difficult time that little bit easier," he said. "They really are all heroes, and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts."

The Ripple Effect

The success is creating waves across the healthcare system. The palliative care team is now introducing A Friend In Need to other hospitals in the trust, starting with Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

Professor Ollie Minton, a consultant in palliative medicine, emphasizes the stakes. "We only have one chance to get it right at the end of someone's life," he said. "Our volunteers provide invaluable companionship when it's needed most. This is about dignity, compassion, and being there at the most important time."

Chris Rendel, chair of the Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals, said families consistently share how much the companionship means. "That is the only encouragement we need to do even more," he said.

The partnership between University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust, the Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals, and the Anne Robson Trust proves that simple human presence can transform the hardest moments we face.