St Raphael’s Hospice provides adult, end of life and specialist palliative care to the people in its area of benefit.
Its approach involves provision of community care, in-patient and therapy services and education; although these services will change from time to time to meet the needs of its beneficiaries.
St Raphael’s Hospice operates from its main site at London Road, SUTTON, SM3 9DX and other satellite sites such as its shops and fundraising department.
Objects and Mission
The Hospice was set up in 1987 as part of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Cross of Liège (DoC).
In October 2020 the activity of the hospice was transferred from DoC to a separate charity (Charity Number: 1182636) and a company limited by guarantee “St Raphael’s Hospice” (Company number 11732567) see Certificate of Incorporation.
The Object of the Charity is the relief of illness and suffering in accordance with the teaching, rites and practices of the Catholic Church:
• by the provision of palliative care, treatment or relief of people of all ages with active, progressive and advanced illness on the basis of need and regardless of their religious, cultural or ethnic background;
• by the provision of care and support to those who have experienced loss and bereavement, in particular families, friends and carers;
• by conducting, promoting or commissioning research into the care, treatment and relief of people suffering from active, progressive and advanced illness and by providing for the dissemination of the results of such research; and
• by the provision of education and training for professionals and volunteers engaged in palliative care;
and (save for purposes incidental and ancillary to the object) no other purposes.
The principal activity of the Hospice is the provision of palliative care, treatment or relief of people of all ages with active, progressive and advanced illness on the basis of need and regardless of their religious, cultural or ethnic background. Bereavement support, research and education are also permitted activities.
Although not limited by its objects, the Hospice primarily provides its care and support to the citizens of the London Boroughs of Sutton and Merton.
Governing Document
The governing document for the Charity is the The Memorandum and Articles, dated 18 December 2018.
Operating Structure
St Raphael’s Hospice operates with delegation of operational responsibility to professional staff, with governance responsibilities reserved to Trustees.
St Raphael’s Hospice has a comprehensive range of operational policies and procedures which are fully maintained and documented, and available to all staff and trustees.
Roles and Responsibilities
Introduction
The Trustees of St Raphael’s Hospice are trustees answerable to the Charities Commission under charity law and directors of St Raphael’s Hospice Limited for the purposes of Companies Acts. The Trustees form the Board of Trustees (the Board) which is synonymous with being the Board of Directors of the Hospice. A list of the current trustees of the Charity can be viewed on the Charity Commission’s site at List of Trustees or on this website at Our Trustees. Under normal circumstances, the number of Trustees will be not less than five and not more than twelve.
Roles and responsibilities are set out here in the Governance Manual – Roles and Responsibilities
Arrangements for the Trustees Register of interests are described in section 2.7.
Arrangements for the Measurement of Performance of the Board are set out in [TBC].
The Charity Code of Governance
The Hospice fully endorses the view that good governance in charities is fundamental to their success. Good governance enables and supports the Hospice’s compliance with the law and relevant regulations. It also promotes a culture where everything works towards fulfilling the Hospice’s vision. Board members are, therefore, expected to act in accordance with the Charity Governance Code which can be viewed and downloaded from here.
Code of Conduct
The specific Code of Conduct for St Raphael’s Hospice Trustees is set out in Governance Manual – Trustee Code of Conduct.
Conduct of Meetings
The Trustees must hold at least five meetings each Year.
A quorum at a meeting of the Trustees is three Trustees or such other number as the Trustees may from time to time decide, provided that a majority of those present are Catholics.
Any Trustee may call a meeting of the Trustees by giving reasonable notice of the meeting to the Trustees or by authorising the Secretary (if there is one) to give such notice.
A meeting of the Trustees may be held either in person or by suitable electronic or other means agreed by the Trustees in which all participants may communicate with all the other participants.
The Chairperson or (if the Chairperson is unable to do so) the Vice-Chairperson or (if he or she is also unable to do so) some other Trustee chosen by the Trustees present presides at each meeting.
If any Trustee is absent from a meeting of the Trustees, the Trustees present at the meeting shall note the absence and shall resolve whether or not to consent to it.
Every issue may be determined at a meeting by a simple majority of the votes cast. Except for the chairperson of the meeting, who in the case of an equality of votes has a second or casting vote, every Trustee has one vote on each issue.
A Written resolution signed (which for the avoidance of doubt includes electronic signatures) by at least two thirds of the Trustees, of whom a majority must be Catholics, who would have been eligible to vote on the matter at a meeting of the Trustees is as valid as a resolution passed at a meeting and for this purpose the resolution may be contained in more than one document and will be treated as passed on the date of the last signature.
All acts done by a meeting of the Trustees or by any person acting as a Trustee shall be valid even if it is discovered afterwards that there was some defect in the appointment of any person or persons acting, or that they or any of them were or was disqualified from holding office or not entitled to vote, or had in any way vacated their or his or her office.