The Woking and Sam Beare Hospices exist to provide and promote the highest quality care possible for people with advanced terminal illnesses, and to provide help and support to their families and other individuals important to their care.

To achieve this purpose, we will maintain the values that are the essence of our care.

We will:

• affirm the patient as an unique and valued individual
• preserve the quality of life, dignity and independence of the patient
• provide an environment where the patient, family and friends feel accepted and safe
• affirm the importance of the patient's family and friends, and support and help them to cope during the patient's illness and into bereavement
• affirm life and regard dying as a normal process and neither hasten nor postpone death
• provide relief from pain and other distressing symptoms
• meet the psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients and their carers
• allow patients and their families their choice, wherever practical, to die at a place of their choosing, whether it be at home, hospice or hospital
• work as a multi-disciplinary team to achieve our values and beliefs
• respect and work with all other disciplines and agencies to meet the total needs of patients, families and friends
• maintain an environment of mutual support and encouragement
• provide the principles and practice of palliative care to all disciplines in the wider community
• educate and train our staff and encourage personal and professional development
• advance the understanding and rational treatment of progressive disease through appropriate research
• maintain high standards of care and seek to enhance these through evaluation and implementation