Who we are
Established by the Religious Sisters of Charity in 1879, the Hospice in Harold’s Cross was opened in response to the healthcare needs of the community.
Today, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services (OLH&CS) provides specialist care for a catchment of over a million people with a wide range of needs, from residential rehabilitation to end-of- life care, from our bases in Harold’s Cross, Blackrock (est. 2003) and Wicklow (est. 2020).
What we do
In each of the following service areas, our multidisciplinary teams work to provide patients and their families with loving care, comfort and dignity. We understand that our patients’ needs are physical, emotional and psychosocial, and we aim to fulfil each of these areas.
- Specialist Palliative Care (all sites)
- Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Disease Unit, RMDU (Harold’s Cross)
- Extended Care Unit, Anna Gaynor House, AGH (Harold’s Cross)
- Community Rehabilitation Unit, CRU (Harold’s Cross)
- Bereavement Services (all sites)
- Education, research and training (all sites)
- Fundraising (all sites)
Mission and Values
Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, founded by the Sisters of Charity in 1879, continues its mission by providing, with loving care, high quality, person-centred health & social care services in the Hospice & community.
These core values are upheld & shared by many people of diverse cultures, faiths, professions & circumstances. Daily, they serve to inspire, motivate & guide us in our work together.
Our History
In 2024, OLH&CS will proudly celebrate 145 years since our organisation was established to meet the care needs of the community it serves.
It is with great pride that we reflect on the brave, pioneering work of Mother Mary Aikenhead, and how she inspired the Religious Sisters of Charity to take on this work and develop the strong ethos of care that remains to this day.
Management, Administration and Governance
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.
Looking ahead
Today, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services provides specialist care for a catchment of over million people with a wide range of needs.
What has changed most over the years is the population we serve. As people are now living longer and have more complex care needs, healthcare professionals must provide even more specialist facilities and services of the highest quality to meet these critical requirements.