About Us

Who we are

At East Lancashire Hospice, we’re proud to be a valued part of the community.

Everyone deserves to receive the care and dignity that a hospice provides.
That’s what we believe, that’s why we’re here, for the people of Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.

We provide specialist palliative care and support. But we’re not just about the end of life, we’re about the quality of life.

Whether in our hospice or receiving care at home, our patients and their friends and family are at the heart of what we do. We’re by their side, helping them make the most of life.

Our holistic approach, centred on the individual’s health and wellbeing, helps us achieve that together.

How the Hospice is run

The Hospice is governed by a Board of Trustees who are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organisation and ensuring it is well-managed, sustainable and compliant.

The Board delegates responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Hospice to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO is supported by the Senior Leadership Team, who oversee the operational delivery, ensuring our services continue to meet the needs of our patients and the wider community.

This structure ensures strong governance, clear accountability and high-quality care at every level of the organisation.

Our Story

East Lancashire Hospice was built on compassion, determination and a belief that everyone deserves dignity, comfort and compassionate care.

Our story began long before our doors first opened. It started with one doctor, one vision, and a community that stood alongside him.

In 1939, a 16-year-old boy watched his mother die in severe pain from cancer. That boy was Dr Siegleman, and the experience stayed with him for life.

After qualifying as a doctor in 1953, he dedicated his career to pain relief, training as a consultant anaesthetist because he believed no one should suffer unnecessarily. In 1961, he was appointed consultant at the Royal Blackburn Infirmary, where he continued to develop his expertise in pain management and complex care.

Inspired by Dame Cicely Saunders and the opening of St Christopher’s Hospice in 1967, Dr Siegleman believed East Lancashire needed a specialist hospice of its own. By the early 1980s, he was convinced that busy hospital wards could not meet the needs of dying patients or their families.

Despite opposition, Dr Siegleman persisted. In 1981, he launched the East Lancashire Hospice Appeal, asking the community to help fund a hospice building, with the NHS agreeing to staff and run it. Fundraising groups across East Lancashire worked tirelessly, raising an incredible £700,000.

On 12 May 1983, Dr Siegleman laid the foundation stone for a purpose-built, 10-bed in-patient unit. On 21 June 1984, East Lancashire Hospice officially opened its doors, with Dr Siegleman at the helm.

From the beginning, care extended beyond the patient. Friends and family were welcomed, with support services including a social worker, chaplain, hairdresser and facilities for overnight stays. It was a holistic approach that put people, not illness, at the centre.

In 1985, Dr Siegleman received an MBE for services to the hospice movement. Although he retired as a hospital anaesthetist in 1988, he continued working until 1993, aged 70. East Lancashire Hospice remained his crowning achievement.
Today, East Lancashire Hospice continues the vision Dr Siegleman set in motion more than four decades ago.