Singapore Hospice Council

1800-333-6666

(Hospice Helpline)

[ History of hospice & palliative care ]

The word 'hospice' is derived from the Latin word 'hospitium' that means 'guesthouse'. Hospices were known for many centuries as places of rest for weary travellers. It was only in the 19th century that a religious order changed the concept of hospices by establishing them as places of care for the dying in Ireland and London. Dame Cicely Saunders founded the modern hospice movement in 1967 when she set up the first modern hospice St. Christopher's Hospice in London.

The hospice movement has had such great impact that at present, hospice services in Europe and North America number in the thousands. The concept of hospices is also becoming increasingly important in Asia Pacific countries. The Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) was established in late 2001 to link all those who are interested in developing hospice and palliative care services in this region. The secretariat is based in Singapore. To date there are over 800 members representing some 500 hospice services in over twenty countries, including Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan and Singapore.

In Singapore, the Singapore Hospice Council (SHC) serves as an umbrella body that incorporates all voluntary organizations providing hospice and palliative care. SHC registered in 1995 with 5 members. Today, it has grown to include 8 members.

Members of SHC are Assisi Home and Hospice, Bright Vision Hospital, Dover Park Hospice, HCA Hospice Care, Methodist Hospice Fellowship, Metta Hospice Care, Singapore Cancer Society, and St Joseph's Home and Hospice. The services include caring for patients and their families, providing caregiver training to family members and volunteers, and raising awareness of hospice and palliative care among public and professionals.

Besides being committed to improving the lives of patients with serious life-limiting illnesses and supporting their loved ones, SHC also believes in engaging more doctors in the field of hospice and palliative care. Currently, hospice and palliative care is a specialized field that is practiced by a small group of doctors in Singapore. To this end, SHC has recently collaborated with Lien Foundation to create the first-ever doctors' and nurses' hospice and palliative care fellowships and scholarships to offer formal training opportunities in this area.