Bereavement Support Line 1800 80 70 77 Main Navigation Donate Design & Dignity Home > Our Supports & Services > Healthcare Hub > Design & Dignity Read our Design & Dignity guidelines Download Our Design & Dignity programme turns old and dated hospital spaces into oases of calm where bad news can be broken sensitively or where families can gather in peace and privacy. The project is grounded in the firm belief that the end of life should be recognised as a time of the most intense human feelings. These feelings should not have to be endured in inappropriate surroundings; a busy corridor, a waiting room or a ward reception area, where others may be chatting and laughing. A tremendous success to date, over 47 projects across Ireland have already been supported. Our vision Our vision is that every hospital in Ireland will have a dignified and comfortable sanctuary to experience the death of a loved one. End-of-life sanctuaries include palliative care suites, family rooms with overnight accommodation, counselling rooms for bereaved families, bereavement suites in emergency department units and family friendly mortuaries. Design & Dignity is a partnership project of IHF and the HSE, who have now adopted the Design & Dignity guidelines for all new and refurbishment work. Accept Non Necessary cookies to view the content. What Design & Dignity does funds a range of ‘exemplar’ projects through a formal Grants Scheme and showcases them nationwide. provides practical architectural support and advice. fosters a sense of ownership of the hospital environment through engagement with hospital staff in the design process. Develops Design & Dignity guidelines to enhance the physical environments of hospitals. produces a range of resources to enable staff to implement the Design & Dignity guidelines. advocates for the integration and embedding of the Design & Dignity guidelines across the HSE. Completed projects Family rooms Mater Hospital family room “Honestly, I can’t describe the benefit of the room. You can see the stress lift from relatives when they come into the room. It has given us all great pride in our work and in our caring for these families” – Palliative Care Nurse Nenagh hospital family room “It was just lovely that we had somewhere to go that wasn’t a hospital ward or room” – Relative St. John’s Hospital, Limerick “The family room is a vital part to running a busy critical care unit….and without it, it would be almost impossible to facilitate families as well as we can” – Palliative Nurse Mortuary Renovations Mercy University Hospital “Life is a journey and we hope that for those who have ended their journey in our hospital that it was compassionate, peaceful and with dignity. We know that our project will act as an exemplar project for future developments in end-of-life care nationally” – Sandra Day, Chief Executive, Mercy University Hospital “This building has given us a space that is dignified, that is bright, that is airy, that’s embracing of all religions and none” – Margaret McKiernan, Director of Nursing, Mercy University Hospital Viewing suites St. James’ Hospital ‘Before we had these rooms, we’d have to bring families from the room where we break the bad news to them on to the corridor’ – Cliona O’Beirne, Clinical Nurse Manager, St James Hospital Waiting areas Read our Design & Dignity guidelines Download Healthcare Hub COVID-19 Care & Inform Hospice Friendly Hospitals HFH QI Awards End-of-life care resources Nursing Homes – CEOL Design & Dignity Nurses for Night Care Palliative Care Programmes Primary Palliative Care Palliative Care For All Children’s Palliative Care Grief doesn't have an end date. If you or someone you know is struggling at this time, we are here to help you. It is free to call our Bereavement Support Line Mon - Fri 10am -1pm 1800 80 70 77 Information Library Research Publications IHF FAQs About Us Who we are Our People Our Board Our Strategy Our Partners Governance Funding & Accountability Annual Report Working in IHF Contact Us Contact Us Form Media Contacts Irish Hospice Foundation Morrison Chambers (Floor 4) 32 Nassau Street Dublin 2 D02 YE06 T: 01 679 3188 E : info@hospicefoundation.ie Terms and Conditions Privacy policy Registered Charity Number: 20013554 CHY 6830 © Irish Hospice Foundation 2020 We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. Cookie settingsACCEPTREJECT