The Autumn Project
The Autumn Project was launched by our specialist palliative care team to create special spaces for patients at the end of their life. York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity is proud to support this project which benefits patients and families across the hospitals and community sites in our Trust.
The first Autumn room was officially opened at Scarborough Hospital in 2022 and since then further rooms have been created across the Trust.
The spaces are homely in design, comfortable and provide loved ones with all the facilities they need while staying with the patient at this very difficult time.
Where wards do not have individual rooms available, York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity has funded bespoke Autumn themed privacy screens. We are continuing to raise funds to provide further screens for York Hospital. These will be used in four and six-bed bays to create a private and peaceful space, making the healthcare team aware that the patient is at the end of their life.
To improve palliative care further, the first cuddle bed has now arrived in Scarborough Hospital, giving patients at the end of life the chance to lie closely with loved ones. Costing £15,000, the bed is already in regular use and can be moved between Critical Care and Autumn rooms so more families can benefit.
The purchase of the bed was made possible thanks to a wide range of community fundraising efforts, including a skydive by clinical nurse specialists, a 25‑mile sponsored walk by student nurses, and the dedication of fantastic supporters.
The next step is raising funds for a cuddle bed for York Hospital, helping ensure more families across the Trust have access to this vital support. If you can donate or fundraise to help, we would love to hear from you.
Donate to the York cuddle bed here
Donate to the Autumn Project here
