About St Luke’s – Sheffield’s Hospice for more than 50 years
St Luke’s isn’t somewhere you come to wait to die. It’s about living well and making every moment as comfortable, dignified and meaningful as it can be, wherever a person chooses to be cared for.
Who we are and what we do
At St Luke's, we look after anyone affected by a terminal illness across Sheffield, at any stage of their journey, and their loved ones too.
Patients are cared for in the place that best suits their needs - most often in their own homes, where they feel most comfortable. There, they can receive support, pain relief, and in some cases, help to die at home, if that’s what they want. For others, 24-hour intensive palliative care is given on our In Patient Centre to help with pain and symptom management.
Alongside clinical care, patients can access a wide range of non-medical support through our Social Prescribing services, including practical, exercise, wellbeing, nature, social and creative activities. In addition to emotional and spiritual care. Families and carers can also receive support through our tailored social, spiritual and bereavement services.
We’re proud to train other healthcare providers and professionals, sharing our expertise locally, nationally and internationally to advance palliative and end of life care. Despite our name, St Luke’s has no religious affiliation and cares for everyone who needs us with dignity, compassion and respect – regardless of age, background, postcode or religion.
How we do it – with the help of our community
Everything we do is made possible by over 300 amazing members of staff, a phenomenal team of more than 1,000 volunteers, and the generosity of the people of Sheffield.
Just 23% of our running costs are covered by NHS funding, meaning this year St Luke's has to raise over £15million to continue providing our services across Sheffield. Most of the money we need to raise comes from the community of people fundraising for us and supporting our charity shops across the city.
We look after people over 18 from across the Sheffield region, with different terminal illnesses, including cancer, end stage neurological, heart, kidney and lung conditions, and HIV. While every patient is as different as the care they’ll receive, they all have this in common: their care will be about life.
Our impact last year
We helped around 1,800 patients and their families and carers, around 6,000 people in total.
Around 300 people received 24-hour specialist palliative care on our In Patient Centre.
Over 6,000 visits were made by our Community Team to patients in their own homes or care homes across Sheffield.
Our social prescribing services were accessed 7,300+ times - for practical, social and emotional support.
650+ bereaved relatives attended counselling sessions with St Luke’s following the death of a loved one.
St Luke’s 2025-29 Strategy
Our Strategy 2025-2029 sets out our direction and ambitions, to build on the strength of our charity and the foundations laid down by generations of Sheffielders. We invite you to join with us, and with Sheffield, on our journey into the future. St Luke’s is an independent charity, and we have our own aspirations and objectives. Our philosophy is to always think about the patient first in all that we do. We have a vision of a world we’d like to see, a sense of purpose for our work in Sheffield, and core values to guide us into the future.
St Luke’s 2025-29 Strategy
Our vision statement and purpose
Our vision statement
A world where patients and families facing terminal illness don’t feel alone, and receive the care and support they need to make the most of precious time, and experience a good death.
Our purpose
Our purpose is to give patients and their families the high-quality care they need, treating each person as a unique individual. We promise to listen to their wishes and choices, tailoring our care and support so they can make the most of every day. We work with others to champion improvements in end of life care, in Sheffield and beyond.
St Luke’s 2025-29 Strategy
Our values
Caring – with patients, relatives, volunteers, supporters, partners and staff.
Pioneering – looking for new ways to help us move closer to our vision.
Respectful – being considerate to others, always, helping us to stay inclusive and offer dignity to our patients.
St Luke’s 2025-29 Strategy
Our strategic themes
Improving out-of-hours support to home-based patients / families
Flexible, accessible caring models
Expanding Patient & Family Support service
Encourage new ideas and solutions in all areas
Grow our research activity on palliative and end of life care
Support local, national and international programmes to extend EOLC knowledge/best practice to disadvantaged and under-served communities
Grow retail, fundraised and other self-generated net income to support services
Seek uplifts in statutory funding
Manage costs, budgets and reserves to maintain sustainable financial position
Attract, engage and retain the best people for St Luke's
Enhance belonging and wellbeing for all in the workplace
Create an empowered, positive and progressive workplace culture
Attract, engage and retain the best people for St Luke's
Enhance belonging and wellbeing for all in the workplace
Create an empowered, positive and progressive workplace culture
Attract, engage and retain the best people for St Luke's
Enhance belonging and wellbeing for all in the workplace
Create an empowered, positive and progressive workplace culture
Working in partnership for our patients
St Luke’s has a wide network of health and community partners across Sheffield. These relationships help us provide coordinated, consistent support for people wherever they are – at home, in hospital or at the Hospice.
Our In Patient Centre, Specialist Community Team and Patient and Family Support Teams collaborate daily with GPs, district nurses, hospital teams and other health professionals to provide specialist care for people living with complex conditions.
Our Integrated Community Team look after over 1,800 people each year in their own homes across Sheffield. The team is entirely funded by St Luke’s, working alongside our consultants, doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers and specialist registrars.
Each patient we care for has a designated Community Nurse or assistant practitioner to support them throughout their illness, helping them manage symptoms, maintain quality of life and make informed choices about where they receive care.
Our nurses also provide emotional and psychological guidance for patients and those close to them. While we don’t offer intensive home nursing or help with daily physical care, we work with partner organisations to arrange these services when needed.
The St Luke’s Wilkes Institute is dedicated to advancing hospice and palliative care through research, learning and collaboration. We work with national and local partners, including the University of Sheffield’s Centre for Health & Related Research and the Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre at Hull York Medical School.
We also support staff in developing research skills through training with Sheffield Hallam University, the NIHR and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. Research is now a routine part of our work, helping us continually improve safe, evidence-based care. Learn more about our Palliative Care Education Partnerships.
Age UK wellbeing sessions
Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association
MND Sheffield teaching Hospitals
Sheffield Carers Centre
Alzheimer's Society
Weston Park Cancer Charity
Darnall Wellbeing
Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care (SCCCCs)
Sheffield EOLC priorities
PCS Sheffield
Healthcare partnerships
Hospice UK assisted Dying consultation group
Improve study
Archer Project
Bluebell wood
Sheffield Children’s Hospital
Exel Pharmacy
Secondary Breast Cancer Association
South Yorkshire Ambulance Service
People keeping well network
Compassionate Sheffield
St Luke’s Executive Team and Leads
Our Executive Team and Leads steer the charity and its people, striving to provide the best possible services for patients and their families, while nurturing a positive culture guided by shared values.
Executive Team
Jo Lenton
Chief Executive, Chief Nurse
Jo Lenton
Jo qualified as a Nurse from the Sheffield School of Nursing in 1992, with a Diploma in nursing studies. She began her nursing career working on a general surgical ward. Many of the patients were undergoing surgery for a cancer diagnosis and this is where Jo first developed her interest in the area of palliative care. In 2002, Jo moved into District Nursing before joining St Luke’s in 2008. As part of her role, she piloted a rapid response service dealing with urgent requests, providing same day face-to-face assessment and interventions to patients in urgent need. Jo has completed an Advanced Physical Assessment Course (APAC) and has a MSc in Voluntary Sector Leadership from Bayes University London.
In her role as Chief Executive, Jo is looking forward to taking St Luke’s into many new areas of support for our patients, developing vital palliative care research programmes and strengthening services for future generations.
Dr Sam Kyeremateng
Medical Director, Clinical Lead for Programme Development
Dr Sam Kyeremateng
Sam completed initial medical training in Aberdeen, qualifying in 1998 before moving to Sheffield in 1999 and into palliative medicine in 2002. A Consultant at St Luke’s since 2008, he became Medical Director in 2013, later taking on programme development leadership in 2018. A Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Sam plays a key regional role in end of life care and became Training Programme Director for Palliative Medicine in Yorkshire and Humber in 2018. He has been instrumental in establishing St Luke’s as a centre for specialist palliative care research.
Tony Saunders
Director of Finance, Chief Operating Officer
Tony Saunders
Tony holds a degree in Economic and Social Studies from the University of Manchester and is a Chartered Accountant (FCA). After working in practice in Sheffield and later as Finance Director of a multi-site logistics company, he joined St Luke’s in 2010. He has since held senior roles across commercial and non-clinical operations. Tony also brings extensive non-executive experience with several charities and has served as treasurer of the Sheffield and District Society of Chartered Accountants.
Katie Weller
Director of People and Wellbeing
Katie Weller
Katie leads St Luke’s HR, L&D, EDI and Volunteering Teams. She joined in 2022 and holds a degree in Business and HRM from Sheffield Hallam University, as well as MCIPD membership. Katie brings wide-ranging leadership experience across manufacturing, engineering, wholesale, retail, distribution, local authority and insurance. Her expertise spans organisational design, HR function development, employee relations, and major transformation programmes. She is passionate about employee engagement, people development, health and wellbeing, and DE&I.
Executive Leads
Emma Baldwin
Exec Lead for Care
Emma Baldwin
Emma joined St Luke’s in 2016 as a physiotherapist and now leads the quality and delivery of all clinical services. She studied physiotherapy at Sheffield Hallam University, began her career in the NHS in 2011, and completed a Master’s in Vitality and Ageing at Leiden University in 2014. Emma is a member of the CSP and HCPC and a regional lead for ACPOPC. She is committed to innovation in palliative care and ensuring exceptional standards across all services.
Joasia Lesniak
Exec Lead for Fundraising
Joasia Lesniak
Joasia joined St Luke’s in 2013, progressing through senior fundraising roles before becoming Head of Fundraising in 2020. She now leads all fundraising activity, guiding a team that raises over £5 million each year to support St Luke’s care and support services. Joasia shapes our fundraising strategy, driving sustainable growth through strategy, innovation and engagement. Deeply committed to the charity’s mission, she works closely with the Sheffield community to build partnerships that help secure St Luke’s future for generations to come.
Mark Gillott
Exec Lead for Digital & Data
Mark Gillott
Mark first joined St Luke’s in 2007 after completing his degree in computing and returned in 2022 following senior digital roles in hospice and social care charities. He now leads St Luke’s digital and data strategy, overseeing systems, data and information governance, security and wider transformation. Mark is dedicated to making technology seamless for colleagues and ensuring digital tools and insights enhance the delivery of compassionate, high-quality care.
Tell us what you think
We’d love to hear your thoughts about our Hospice, staff and services. Every compliment, comment and suggestion guides our commitment to providing better end of life care for the Sheffield community.
FAQs about St Luke’s – Sheffield’s Hospice
We offer patient and family support to:
Adults aged 18+ in Sheffield who have been diagnosed with a palliative condition (such as end-stage neurological, heart, kidney and lung conditions, cancer, and HIV)
People who have recently been bereaved following the death of a relative or close friend who was cared for by St Luke’s
Children attending our bereavement groups or accompanying a parent receiving care and/or support from St Luke’s
Family members, close friends and carers of someone currently receiving care from St Luke’s
To be referred to St Luke's, you must have been diagnosed with a progressive illness for which there is no known cure.
While we’re not able to cure your illness, we can help you live as well as possible for as long as possible, with specialist medical and nursing care, advice and support.
St Luke’s Sheffield Hospice first opened its doors to patients on October 1, 1971. Since then, it has remained a pioneer in hospice care, expanding beyond Little Common Lane and bringing its support directly into homes across Sheffield.
Jo Lenton is St Luke’s Hospice’s Chief Executive and Chief Nurse. She leads the charity’s work to enhance patient care and support, advance palliative care research, and strengthen services for generations to come.