Management, Administration And Governance

Registration, constitution and structure

Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services is a registered charity in Ireland.

Registered Charity Number or RCN 20001827.
Charity Number or CHY 1144.
Constituted as a Designated Activity Company or DAC – Company Registration Number 352404.

Board of Directors

OLH&CS is funded by the HSE to provide a defined level of service on its behalf and is a section 38 provider managed by a voluntary Board of Directors.

OLH&CS is governed by an independent Board of Directors who serve in a voluntary capacity and meet at least five times a year. In compliance with the Memorandum of Association. No salary, fees or other remuneration is paid to Board Directors. The Directors are responsible for the management of the business of the company and for exercising their powers in pursuit of the charitable objectives of the company.

The Directors are committed to maintaining the highest standard of corporate governance and this is reflected in the emphasis on transparency, accountability and effectiveness in all aspects of services.

The Board of Directors delegate the day-to-day operations of the company to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO is not a member of the Board and there are no employee representatives on the Board.

The Directors are responsible for:

  • Entrepreneurial Leadership - Providing effective leadership of the Hospice within a framework of prudent and effective controls.
  • Strategic Direction - Setting the strategic direction of the Hospice, in light of the ethos and values that underpin the organisation, as established by the Religious Sisters of Charity.
  • Oversee and Monitor Performance - Approve, monitor and review organisational performance.

Directors and Company Secretary

The Board is comprised of not less than two and no more than 13 Directors. Members of the Board are subject to retirement by rotation having held office for six years consecutively. To ensure continuity of organisational knowledge and specialist expertise, Board members can be reappointed for a further six years if required.

Lorcan Birthistle has been Chair of the Board of Directors since 2021.

Governance code and compliance

Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services is committed to working towards compliance with all relevant legislation, regulations and statutory obligations and will continue to develop to enable the achievement of full compliance. The organisation subscribes to the following:

  • Directors’ Compliance Statement (Companies Act)
  • Code of Governance for state bodies
  • The Health Services Executive Compliance Statement
  • Charity Regulator’s Governance Code.

We return an annual compliance statement is submitted to our service funder – the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the organisation is fully committed to addressing any compliance matters raised in the response.

OLH&CS is also committed to the Governance Code as developed by the the Charities Regulatory Authority. You can read more about the Charities Governance Code here Charities Governance Code (charitiesregulator.ie)

To ensure that we meet our commitment to donors, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services is fully committed to achieving the standards outlined in the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations on Fundraising from the Public as developed by the Charities Regulator. You can read more about these guidelines here guidance-for-fundraising-english.pdf (charitiesregulator.ie)

We are also very proud to have been awarded Triple Lock status by Charities Institute Ireland, demonstrating our commitment to best practice in all aspects of transparent reporting, accountability, ethical fundraising and good governance. To find out more about what our Triple Lock membership means to our beneficiaries and donors please visit Charities Institute Ireland here TRIPLE LOCK STANDARD | Charities Institute Ireland

Board Sub-Committees

To support its governance activities the Board of Directors has established a number of sub-committees, who provide specialist advice and report directly to the Board. Each of the eight committees has its own terms of reference and its members serve in a voluntary capacity. Each committee is Chaired by a Board Director and includes external experts who offer their time and expertise in a voluntary capacity as well as relevant hospice staff.

The Board Sub-Committees in Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services are as follows:

  • Clinical Governance
  • Audit & Finance
  • Capital
  • Remuneration
  • Nominations
  • Fundraising

Staff and management

Reporting to the Board of Directors and supporting the Chief Executive Officer in Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services is a Management Team.

The Management Team provides leadership and management of the Hospice and effectively manages and oversee the daily operations. It develops and manages the implementation of strategic and annual organisational plans. This team manages the resources of the Hospice to achieve strategic and annual goals. It works together as a cohesive team towards the achievement of the objectives of the Hospice.

Executive Team

Interim CEO
Director of HR and Training
Director of Finance
Medical Director
Director of Fundraising and Communications
Director of Non-Clinical Services
Interim Director of Nursing & Quality
Deputy Head of Clinical Services

Administration

Registration, Constitution and Structure

Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services (OLH&CS) is a registered Charity in Ireland (Registered Charity Number or RCN 20001827 / Charity Number or CHY 1144) and is constituted as a Designated Activity Company or DAC (Company Registration Number 352404).

Registered office
Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Harold’s Cross Rd, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6W, D6W RY72 Company Registration Number 352404 Charity Number CHY 1144 Charity Registration Number RCN 20001827

Auditors
Deloitte Chartered Accountants and Statutory Audit Firm, Deloitte & Touche House, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2

Bankers
Bank of Ireland, 1 Rathfarnham Road, Terenure, Dublin 6

Solicitors
Woodcock Solicitors, 16 Clanwiliam Terrace, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2

Company Secretary
Crescent Trust Co. Unlimited Company, One Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1.


Directors & Staff Code of Standards and Behaviour

A framework for the Corporate and Financial Governance of the HSE was approved by the Minister for Health and Children in 2008.

The provisions of the HSE ‘Code of Standards and Behaviours’ introduced in accordance with section 25(3) of the Health Act 2004 and the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 to 2001 applies to employees directly employed by the HSE and agencies funded by the HSE, including Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services (OLH&CS). This code represents an adaptation of the HSE Code to ensure the relevant provisions are applied to both Directors and Staff of OLH&CS.

Annual reports & audited accounts

To view copies of our recent and previous annual reports or audited accounts please click on the links below.

Euthanasia and Assisted Dying

Euthanasia and assisted suicide is currently illegal in Ireland. In October 2020, the Dáil voted to pass the “Dying with Dignity Bill 2020”.

Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Ireland’s largest provider of specialist palliative care services, does not support the assisted dying bill or assisted suicide and welcomes public debate on the subject. Instead, we advocate for better advanced care planning and additional supports for those living with a terminal illness and those facing end of life, and for increased access to specialist palliative care so that pain and distress of patients and families can be comprehensively addressed.

In January 2021, the organisation responded to public invite from the Joint Committee on Justice to make a submission outlining its view and position.

Our 2023 Gender Pay Gap Report

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is a priority for OLH&CS.  It is an important part of who we are, what we do and how we do it. We welcome the opportunity to publish our Gender Pay Gap Report for 2023 and make it available to everyone, including our staff, volunteers, residents, patients, their loved ones, our supporters, and community.

 

Past Gender Pay Gap Reports

– Download the 2022 Gender Pay Gap