St David’s Hospice has become the first hospice in Wales to receive a prestigious national award recognising the quality of its end of life care.

The Llandudno-based hospice has received the Gold Standards Framework Quality Hallmark Award, recognising its commitment to providing high-quality, person-centred care to patients and their families.

The award follows 12 months of work by the hospice’s Day Therapy team towards Gold Standards Framework accreditation. This included specialist training, reviewing care at patient level, providing evidence of how the standards are embedded across the hospice and completing an assessment visit.

The Gold Standards Framework recognises organisations which ensure people receive the right care, in the right place and at the right time, while respecting their wishes and preferences.

St David’s Hospice received the award at the GSF annual conference and awards ceremony in Birmingham, alongside organisations from across the UK working to improve end of life care.

A total of 147 organisations received a GSF Quality Hallmark Award this year, with St David’s Hospice the first hospice in Wales to achieve the accreditation.

Dr Gwyn Griffiths, Medical Director at St David’s Hospice, said he was proud of the team and their work.

He said the award reflected the care provided by staff to ensure patients’ wishes are respected and they are treated with dignity and compassion, while their families are supported too.

St David’s Hospice provides specialist care to adults with advanced illnesses or those approaching the end of life, as well as support for their families.

The charity cares for more than 1,000 people each year across Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey, providing clinical, emotional, physical and spiritual support.

Its services include Day Therapy Centres and Inpatient Units in Llandudno and Holyhead, with care available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The hospice says it will cost more than £5.2 million to run its services this year, with around a quarter of that funding coming from the Welsh Government and Local Health Board. The remainder is raised through community fundraising.

Care is provided free of charge to patients, families and carers.