Eight hospitals around the country have received funding to create end-of-life sanctuaries for patients and their families.

The aim of this is to provide space and sanctuary to families as they go through very difficult times within the hospital setting.

The projects funded are:
-A maternity space for mothers who have experienced pregnancy loss or a perinatal bereavement in the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise
-A refurbishment of the quiet ‘Rose Room' at University Maternity Hospital Limerick
-A refurbishment and extension of the mortuary at the Coombe Maternity Hospital in Dublin
-A refurbishment and extension of the mortuary at Mayo General Hospital
-A family room in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin
-A family room in Connolly Hospital in Dublin
-An Emergency Department bereavement room in Tallaght Hospital in Dublin
-A palliative care suite in the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

The eight hospitals have been granted almost €650,000 funding as part of the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) and HSE's Design & Dignity Grants Scheme. Each hospital is also adding their own contribution, bringing the total investment to €1.07 million.

The Design & Dignity project has been running since 2007 and its aim is to have an end-of-life sanctuary in every public hospital nationwide by 2021.

"We hope that each project will be a sanctuary for families to be together in private at extremely difficult times in their lives and that the projects will convey a sense of reverence and respect for life, death and bereavement," commented Mary Lovegrove, design and dignity project manager with the IHF.