Hospice Malta held its 36th Annual General Meeting, marking a significant year in the organisation's history. The meeting reflected on a period of growth, commitment and achievement following the successful migration of services to the new St Michael Hospice facility.

The new premises have allowed Hospice Malta to deliver more integrated and dignified care to patients and their families, without any disruption to services. Over the past year, Hospice Malta supported more than 1,560 patients and their loved ones, including a record number of 917 new referrals. These figures reflect the growing need for the professional palliative care the organisation provides.

Key services continued to expand, including the Day Therapy Unit and community care programmes, with over 28,000 hours of assistance provided, more than 2,600 specialised equipment items loaned out, and a strong response time that ensured most referrals were contacted within just a few hours. Feedback from patients and families remained extremely positive, with a 98 per cent satisfaction rate recorded through ongoing surveys.

The move to St Michael Hospice was described as both a logistical challenge and a major success, enabling higher-quality care in a calm and appropriate environment. Hospice Malta also continued to assess the effectiveness of its interventions, with clear data showing significant improvements in physical symptoms and emotional well-being among patients.

Investments were made in staff development, the expansion of clinical and operational teams, and the organisation of educational events, including the annual palliative care conference and the ECEPC course, which attracted record participation from healthcare professionals.

Volunteers remained central to the mission of Hospice Malta, with over 180 active individuals contributing more than 12,000 hours of service throughout the year.

The fundraising and communications teams led various successful initiatives, including the Sunflower Campaign, the annual lottery, and the live telethon broadcast from St Michael Hospice. These efforts helped raise vital funds while also raising awareness of what palliative care truly means. Government partnerships and private donations further strengthened the organisation's ability to serve the community. Hospice Malta extends its gratitude to the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing, the Ministry for Social Policy and Children's Rights, and to the Government of Malta, including support through the National Development and Social Fund (NDSF) and EU funding mechanisms, for their continued commitment.

"Finally, though certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you to the Archdiocese of Malta for the truly invaluable site entrusted to Hospice, with the aim of continuing to safeguard the life of every person with love, compassion, and dignity until their final breath and natural end. With the support of the Government, Hospice remains always ready to welcome anyone in need of palliative care, so that there is no need to resort to any other path," concluded the Chairperson of Hospice Malta, Bernadette Bonnici Kind.

The audited financial report, presented by Treasurer Vladimiro Comodini, confirmed that a surplus was generated for the year ending December 2024. This result, endorsed by PwC through a clean audit report, underlines the sound management and transparency of Hospice Malta's operations. The surplus will be directly reinvested to support and further develop the organisation's palliative care services.

Looking ahead, Hospice Malta remains focused on expanding community-based care and launching the Inpatient Unit in the coming months, further enhancing the holistic support provided to patients and their families.

Hospice Malta expressed sincere thanks to all staff, volunteers, supporters, and stakeholders who made 2024 a landmark year for the organisation. The public is now invited to continue showing their support during the upcoming telethon themed 'Ħajja sal-Aħħar', taking place on Sunday 6th July, to help sustain and grow the essential services Hospice Malta provides. For more information and to donate, visit www.hospicemalta.org