Community Hospice is today announcing that Chief Executive Kate Heaps will be stepping down from her role.
Kate will leave her role in March after almost two decades at the hospice, with 16 years as CEO.
Deputy Chief Executive Aneta Saunders has been appointed Interim Chief Executive until a full-time appointment is made.
As Chief Executive, Kate has grown the hospice’s reach and developed services to be flexible and joined-up and worked to support people whoever they are and wherever they are across the community.
More recently she steered the charity through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and oversaw the hospice’s rebrand which came after consultation with hundreds of people across the boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley to understand how it can better support the people who need its services.
Kate’s journey in hospice care began as a volunteer while still at school, and this early experience ignited a lifelong passion for ensuring that people receive not just expert clinical care, but also the emotional, social and spiritual support that makes hospice care so unique.
Kate has more than 30 years experience of working in the NHS and voluntary sectors as both a nurse and a commissioner. She has dedicated her career to palliative care, believing in its holistic power to support patients and families at the most vulnerable times in their lives. She was named Most Supportive Chief Executive by the Charity Retail Association in 2021 and is also a Queen’s Nurse.
Kate will continue in her role as Palliative and End of Life Care Clinical Lead for South East London Integrated Care Board, working to improve the quality, accessibility and sustainability of services for people approaching the end of life. She will also continue as a visiting lecturer at King’s College London, Co-lead of the One King’s Impact Centre for Palliative and End of Life Care, and as Deputy Lieutenant in the Greater London Lieutenancy.
Kate says: “It’s been a privilege to be Chief Executive of Community Hospice for the past 16 years. Leading this organisation has been purposeful and rewarding. I am proud we have been able to reach more people who need us and build our relationships, working hard to address inequalities and redefine palliative care to meet the needs of our diverse community.
“During my time here, I’ve been very fortunate to work with a dedicated team of colleagues and volunteers, including our committed trustees, and I’ll always be grateful to them for their support”.
“I’m excited now to spend more time developing other interests, as well as continuing to support leaders and organisations in the voluntary and statutory sectors; I hope that the hospice, which holds a very special place in the heart of so many, continues to thrive into the future.”
Chair of the Board of Trustees Sarah Higgins says: “The Board of Trustees is grateful to Kate for her compassionate and committed leadership and strategic vision during her tenure, which means we’ve been able to support a greater number of people each year.
“Kate has been a fantastic leader and has dedicated her career to palliative care. We are so fortunate to have had her for two decades.”
“We are also delighted to announce that Aneta will lead the organisation on an interim basis and we thank her for stepping into this role.”
Aneta currently leads the retail, communications and fundraising teams, who work directly with our community to provide much needed funding. She has been at Community Hospice since March 2019.
