Irish Hospice Foundation

What Irish Hospice Foundation does

Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is Ireland's national charity dedicated to hospice, palliative, end-of-life, and bereavement care, founded in 1986 and headquartered at Morrison Chambers, 32 Nassau Street, Dublin. It operates two national freephone helplines — the Bereavement Support Line (1800 80 70 77) and the Information and Support Line (1800 60 70 66) — alongside a portfolio of programmes including the Hospice Friendly Hospitals initiative (engaged with 46 hospitals), Caru (nursing home support with AIIHPC), Nurses for Night Care (delivered via the Irish Cancer Society), Dying Well at Home, the Think Ahead Planning Pack, Rosabel's Rooms (child loss support), the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network, and the Grief in the Workplace programme.

The organisation's technical footprint is service-oriented rather than technology-native: a WordPress-based public website (hospicefoundation.ie), a self-serve eLearning platform (elearninghospicefoundation.ie) with modules such as Dying Well at Home, downloadable planning tools, and freephone helpline infrastructure. Education offerings include the MSc Loss & Bereavement and Professional Certificate in Children and Loss delivered in partnership with RCSI, professional bereavement workshops priced at €70–€100, and scholarships of up to €3,000.

Revenue is generated through a mixed non-profit model: public donations, fundraising events, corporate partnerships and gifts in wills; HSE and Pobal (Department of Rural and Community Development) government grants; and fee-based education programmes. Most services are free at point of use, with the exception of postgraduate courses and professional workshops. IHF is governed by a board led by Chair Leo Kearns and CEO Paula O'Reilly, and it recently extended its activity internationally with a September 2025 palliative care pilot in Uganda via the African Palliative Care Association.

Name

Irish Hospice Foundation

Legal name

Irish Hospice Foundation

Website

https://hospicefoundation.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Irish Hospice Foundation is Ireland's national charity (founded 1986) delivering hospice, palliative, end-of-life, and bereavement care through freephone helplines, hospital and nursing home programmes, postgraduate education with RCSI, and public campaigns, serving grieving individuals, healthcare professionals, and institutions across Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice and Bereavement Care Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), End-of-Life Planning & Hospice/Palliative Care Coordination (HLADALAL), Hospice Care in Assisted Living / Residential Care Facilities (HLADAHAE)

Keywords

• Bereavement support services
• Palliative care education
• End-of-life care programmes
• Hospice healthcare improvement
• Advance care planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Irish Hospice Foundation relies heavily on public donations received through various fundraising initiatives including events, appeals, corporate partnerships, and gifts in wills. This funding supports core services like Nurses for Night Care.
2. HSE Funding: The organization receives funding support from the Health Service Executive (HSE) for specific programmes, including Nurses for Night Care since 2016. This represents a significant government funding stream.
3. Pobal Funding: Acknowledges funding received from Pobal under the Scheme to Support National Organisations, funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Rural and Community Development.
4. Education Course Fees: Revenue generated from professional education programmes including MSc courses (€5,500 per year), Professional Certificate in Children and Loss (€1,800), and Bereavement Workshops (€100 full-day, €70 half-day).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Irish Hospice Foundation is Ireland's national charity delivering bereavement support and end-of-life care services, including two freephone helplines, hospital-based end-of-life care programmes, postgraduate bereavement education, and home nursing care. Free direct-to-public services include the Bereavement Support Line and Information and Support Line, while paid offerings include postgraduate courses (MSc, Professional Certificate) and workshops for healthcare professionals.

Product overview

Irish Hospice Foundation offers a comprehensive portfolio of bereavement, palliative care, and end-of-life services across Ireland. The core offerings include two national freephone helplines: the Bereavement Support Line (1800 80 70 77) providing emotional support for the grieving, and the Information and Support Line (1800 60 70 66) offering resources on end-of-life care and palliative services. The Healthcare Hub encompasses programmes including Hospice Friendly Hospitals (engaged with 46 hospitals), Caru (nursing home support), Nurses for Night Care (home nursing for non-cancer patients), and Dying Well at Home. The Bereavement & Loss Hub provides Children's Bereavement services, Rosabel's Rooms (child loss support), Grief in the Workplace training, and the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network. Education offerings include MSc Loss & Bereavement and Professional Certificate in Children and Loss (in association with RCSI), Bereavement Workshops, and the Therese Brady Library. Public engagement programmes include the Think Ahead Planning Pack, National Grief Awareness Week, and the IHF Forum on End of Life biennial conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Irish Childhood Bereavement Network (ICBN): A national network hosted by Irish Hospice Foundation that works with members to advocate for bereaved children and young people and offers information and resources on supporting a bereaved child.
• Grief in the Workplace
• Caru

Products and services

• Bereavement Support Line A national freephone service providing confidential emotional support, comfort, and practical guidance for people who are grieving the death of someone close. Available Monday to Friday 10am-1pm via 1800 80 70 77, delivered in partnership with the HSE.
• Information and Support Line A national freephone service providing signposting, practical supports and resources about end-of-life care, palliative care and advance care planning for those facing or caring for someone with a life-limiting illness. Available Monday to Friday 9am-6pm via 1800 60 70 66.
• Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme A programme delivered in partnership with the HSE to ensure compassionate end-of-life, palliative and bereavement care is central to hospitals. Currently engaged with 46 Irish hospitals across adult, paediatric and maternity units. Includes quality improvement awards, education, networks, and Design & Dignity.
• Nurses for Night Care A funded service enabling people dying with non-cancer illnesses (dementia, motor neurone disease, respiratory disease, heart failure, kidney disease) to receive expert nursing care at night in their own homes. HSE-funded since 2016 and delivered via the Irish Cancer Society Night Nursing Service, providing 2,850 nights of care to 901 people in 2025 at a cost of approximately €1,130,308.
• Caru A continuous learning programme supporting and empowering nursing homes and their staff in delivering palliative, end-of-life and bereavement care. Developed in partnership with AIIHPC and HSE.
• MSc Loss & Bereavement A two-year, part-time master's programme (90 ECTS, Level 9) delivered in partnership with RCSI, promoting critical inquiry into loss, death and bereavement. Includes general and clinical practice routes. Fees: €5,500 per year (EU students). Next intake September 2026.
• Professional Certificate in Children and Loss A part-time blended postgraduate course (20 ECTS, Level 9) delivered in partnership with RCSI equipping practitioners to understand and support children on their grief journey. Runs September to March annually. Fee: €1,800. Next intake 3 September 2026.
• Bereavement Workshops Online Zoom workshops for professionals and volunteers covering loss and bereavement overview, supporting bereaved adults, children's grief, adolescent grief, perinatal loss, dementia and loss, pet bereavement, and mindfulness. Priced at €70 per half-day and €100 per full-day workshop, booked via Eventbrite.
• Grief in the Workplace Programme An evidence-based programme educating Irish organisations about supporting grieving employees, including training resources, bereavement policy development guidance, and facilitated training sessions. Running for over 10 years using a health-promotion approach.
• Rosabel's Rooms A national child-loss project offering financial and therapeutic supports to bereaved parents and families across Ireland. Includes the Rosabel's Room-to-Heal Fund (financial support) and Rosabel's Room-to-Talk Fund (therapeutic supports), co-founded by psychologist Dr Suzanne McClean.
• Think Ahead Planning Pack A planning tool helping individuals discuss and record wishes and preferences for emergencies, serious illness or after death, covering healthcare decisions, personal care preferences and funeral wishes. Available as downloadable and orderable resource.
• Dying Well at Home A programme supporting end-of-life care at home, providing information, resources, eLearning modules (six modules over seven lessons) and the 'When Someone You Care About Is Dying at Home - What to Expect' brochure.
• Therese Brady Library Ireland's only library dedicated to death, dying and bereavement. Provides access for IHF staff, current students and alumni, subscribes to specialist journals, and provides a searchable book catalogue.
• Scholarships in End-of-Life and Bereavement Care Scholarships of up to €3,000 each for professionals pursuing Level 9 postgraduate studies in end-of-life and bereavement care, covering three strategic aims: Conversations about Death, End of Life and Dying, and Bereavement and Grief. Applications open for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,850 nights of nursing care delivered to 901 people at end-of-life in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• African Palliative Care AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Irish Hospice Foundation, through Jean Callahan, partnered with African Palliative Care Association to launch a pilot palliative care programme for aging nuns in Uganda. The programme began September 2025 and is led by APCA director Eve Namisango.
• Little Sisters of St. Francis convent (Uganda)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Sister Jane Frances Nakafeero of the Little Sisters of St. Francis convent in Nkokonjeru, Uganda partnered with Irish Hospice Foundation to launch a pilot palliative care programme for aging nuns.
• HSE (Health Service Executive)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSE is a core strategic partner providing funding and co-delivery of the Bereavement Support Line and other healthcare programmes. The partnership enables Irish Hospice Foundation to deliver national helpline services in partnership with Ireland's public health service.
• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCSI partners with Irish Hospice Foundation to deliver MSc Loss & Bereavement and MSc Loss & Bereavement (Clinical Practice) programmes, as well as the Professional Certificate in Children and Loss. Courses are accredited by RCSI and National University of Ireland.
• All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIIHPC is a key partner in the Caru programme, a continuous learning programme for nursing homes supporting palliative, end-of-life, and bereavement care delivery.
• Irish Cancer SocietycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIrish Hospice Foundation funds the Nurses for Night Care service which is provided via the Irish Cancer Society Night Nursing Service. This partnership enables delivery of nursing care to people dying at home.
• TUSLAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTUSLA (Child and Family Agency) supports the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network (ICBN), hosted by Irish Hospice Foundation, providing resources and advocacy for bereaved children and young people.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hospice UK: National charity for hospice and palliative care in the UK, directly comparable to Irish Hospice Foundation as a country-level coordinating, advocacy, and education body for hospice and bereavement services. Operates with broader scope and larger budget but the same national-charity hospice-coordination model.
• Marie Curie: UK charity providing care and support for people with terminal illness, including a national helpline, nursing services, and bereavement support. Comparable to IHF in providing multi-channel end-of-life and bereavement services, though with broader funding and direct clinical delivery.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: UK charity providing holistic support including end-of-life and bereavement services, with national helplines and healthcare professional training. Comparable as a larger-scale national charity offering overlapping multi-channel services.

Direct peers

• Sue Ryder: UK charity operating hospice and palliative care services, bereavement support, and healthcare professional education. Directly comparable to IHF in offering a portfolio spanning hospice care, bereavement helplines, professional training, and policy advocacy.
• Irish Cancer Society: Ireland's national cancer charity, directly comparable as an Irish health nonprofit and a key IHF delivery partner for the Nurses for Night Care service. Operates Night Nursing Service and bereavement support, overlapping significantly with IHF's mission.
• All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC): All-island institute coordinating hospice and palliative care across Ireland and Northern Ireland, with whom IHF partners on the Caru programme for nursing homes. Highly comparable in scope, mission, and Irish healthcare system positioning.
• Cruse Bereavement Support: UK national bereavement charity providing a helpline, local services, and professional training. Most directly comparable to IHF's Bereavement Support Line and bereavement education portfolio, operating the same freephone-plus-local-services model.

Regional players

• Our Lady's Hospice & Care Services: Irish hospice operator running both inpatient hospice facilities and community-based palliative care services in Dublin. Comparable as an Ireland-based end-of-life care provider, though it operates direct clinical facilities whereas IHF coordinates and advocates.
• St. Francis Hospice: Irish hospice providing specialist palliative care services in Dublin and surrounding areas. Comparable as a peer hospice organization in Ireland, though focused on direct service delivery in contrast to IHF's national coordination role.

Emerging players

• Together for Short Lives: UK children's palliative care charity, comparable to IHF's Irish Childhood Bereavement Network and children's bereavement work in providing advocacy, professional education, and bereavement resources for families with seriously ill children.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/irishhospice
• Facebookfacebook.com/IrishHospiceFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/irish-hospice-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/irishhospicefoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Irish Hospice Foundation