Since the unit opened just over twelve months ago, hospital management reports a 100 per cent occupancy of the two dedicated beds located alongside two surge beds as required.

The dedication of staff to ensuring patients spend their end of life in a tranquil and dignified setting has been an inspiration to members in our group.

In particular, we would like to thank Orange Hospital's general manager Catherine Nowlan whose vision and motivation saw the dedicated unit up and running in a short time frame.

Ongoing community donations to Orange P4P ensures our volunteers can shop for and stock the fridge in the palliative care area with meals and other essentials to ensure families do not have to leave the hospital and can remain at the bedside of their loved ones in their final hours and days.

Heartfelt thanks from our group also goes out to the many quiltmakers who ensure that the bed of every patient is covered with a beautiful quilt handmade with love.

We are delighted our members have now been inducted into the hospital's volunteer program to be part of our roster of daily visits to the unit to ensure families have all they need.

More recently, five of our volunteers have also responded to a call for those who may be interested in writing a patients 'end of life' story should they request it.

Appropriate training has been undertaken by these volunteers who are looking forward to making a real contribution to patients who wish to leave behind their life story for their loved ones.

Orange P4P is now moving into its second and challenging new phase as our group begins the process of garnering support for a hospice for Orange.

Although in the early stages of planning, we envisage the hospice would not only be a peaceful and tranquil setting for end of life care, but would also provide respite for families whose loved one wishes to die at home.

Part of our vision also includes rooms where palliative patients from the community could receive treatment to manage pain symptoms before returning home.

Our group is very aware of the enormity of the task ahead to see our goal of a hospice come to fruition.

However it will not be possible without the support of people of Orange and district, and local businesses, who we wish to bring along with us on this journey of gauging public opinion, planning and negotiating with stakeholders at all levels.

Following preliminary consultation and discussion in the coming months, our plan is to come back to the community to inform them of the next step on the road to making the hospice for Orange a reality.

Orange should feel rightly proud of the amazing health facilities and medical practitioners we have in this city. However an important piece of the picture is missing - a dedicated hospice.

Orange City Council and Member for Orange Phil Donato have been instrumental to the progress so far in improving services for palliative care.

We are now looking to commitments from candidates in the upcoming Federal Election that they recognize the importance of a hospice for Orange.

We look to them to pledge their support for plans for a hospice for Orange.