Our Hospice

Every year, Dougie Mac provides all hospice services free of charge to adults, young adults and children living with a life-limiting illness in Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire and the surrounding villages; also offering supportive care for their families and carers.

Following the amalgamation in March 2021 of children’s hospice The Donna Louise Trust into Dougie Mac, our care now takes place across two sites in Blurton and Trentham as well as out in the local community.

About Us

Caring since 1973

Our dedicated staff and volunteers are central to the care we provide and all we do. We strive to go that extra mile to provide a warm, friendly and peaceful environment both at the hospice or in a family’s home.

Here at Dougie Mac we are committed to expanding and improving our services, always striving to deliver the very best quality of care to meet the ever-changing needs of the local community.

After caring for adults across the area for almost fifty years, we’re proud to have added care for children and young adults to our services allowing us to offer a broad spectrum of specialist palliative and end of life care for all ages.

Our Vision & Values

Our vision…to be admired as a centre of excellence for palliative and end of life care.

Our Mission is…to respond to the increasing needs of those in our care across our heartland by growing as a sustainable organisation delivering outstanding value for money for all our funding sources and always remaining true to our core values.

C ompassion
A ccountability
R espect
E xcellence

Meet The Team

  • Executives
  • Key Senior Leads
  • Trustees

Chief Executive Officer

David Webster

Chief Executive Officer

David Webster

CQC Nominated Individual
Senior Information Risk Officer

Director of Care

Jannette McCartney

Director of Care

Jannette McCartney

Director of Income Generation

Karen McKenzie

Director of Income Generation

Karen McKenzie

Lottery Licence Holder
Data Protection Officer

Director of HR and Support Services

Cris Hammond

Director of HR and Support Services

Cris Hammond

Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

Director of Finance

Vicki Dean

Director of Finance

Vicki Dean

Medical Director

Emer Cunningham McKenna

Medical Director

Emer Cunningham McKenna

Caldicott Guardian

Associate Director of Care (Adult)

Sonya Turner

Associate Director of Care (Adult)

Sonya Turner

Registered Manager
Safeguarding Lead

Head of Children Services

Jane Jones

Head of Children Services

Jane Jones

Safeguarding Lead

Head of Young Adult Services

Linda McNee

Head of Young Adult Services

Linda McNee

Safeguarding Lead

Head of Wellbeing Services

Louise Eagle

Head of Wellbeing Services

Louise Eagle

Chair of Trustees

Sue Evans

Chair of Trustees

Sue Evans

First elected in 2009, Sue became Chair in January 2024. Sue is a Member of all other Subcommittees.

Vice Chair

Margaret Rathbone

Vice Chair

Margaret Rathbone

First elected in 2016, Margaret became Vice Chair in March 2024. Margaret is Chair of the Information Governance and People & Values Subcommittees.

Trustee

Dr Eddie Slade

Trustee

Dr Eddie Slade

Eddie is Chair of Clinical Governance, Research Governance and Investment, Finance & Internal Audit Subcommittees. He is a Member of the Corporate Governance Subcommittee.

Trustee

Dr Jane Sissons

Trustee

Dr Jane Sissons

Jane was elected in 2016. Jane is a Member of the Clinical Governance and Safeguarding Subcommittees.

Trustee

Joanne Miller

Trustee

Joanne Miller

Joanne was elected in 2017. Joanne is a Member of People & Values and Information Governance Subcommittees.

Trustee

Kerry Brown

Trustee

Kerry Brown

Kerry was elected in 2016. Kerry is Chair of the DMH Staffordshire Enterprise Ltd Board and a Member of the DMH Staffordshire Lotteries Ltd Board.

Trustee

Terry Stanway

Trustee

Terry Stanway

Terry was elected in October 2018. Terry is a Member of the Clinical Governance and Pension Trustees Subcommittees.

Trustee

Jan Warren

Trustee

Jan Warren

Jan was co-opted in February 2022. Jan is a Member of the Clinical Governance, People & Values and Safeguarding Subcommittees.

Trustee

Tony Pegg

Trustee

Tony Pegg

Tony was elected in 2023. Tony is Chair of the DMH Staffordshire Lotteries Ltd and a Member of the Information Governance Subcommittee.

Trustee

Martin Tideswell

Trustee

Martin Tideswell

Martin was appointed in 2023.

Chief Executive Officer

David Webster

Chief Executive Officer

David Webster

CQC Nominated Individual
Senior Information Risk Officer

Director of Care

Jannette McCartney

Director of Care

Jannette McCartney

Director of Income Generation

Karen McKenzie

Director of Income Generation

Karen McKenzie

Lottery Licence Holder
Data Protection Officer

Director of HR and Support Services

Cris Hammond

Director of HR and Support Services

Cris Hammond

Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

Director of Finance

Vicki Dean

Director of Finance

Vicki Dean

Medical Director

Emer Cunningham McKenna

Medical Director

Emer Cunningham McKenna

Caldicott Guardian

Associate Director of Care (Adult)

Sonya Turner

Associate Director of Care (Adult)

Sonya Turner

Registered Manager
Safeguarding Lead

Head of Children Services

Jane Jones

Head of Children Services

Jane Jones

Safeguarding Lead

Head of Young Adult Services

Linda McNee

Head of Young Adult Services

Linda McNee

Safeguarding Lead

Head of Wellbeing Services

Louise Eagle

Head of Wellbeing Services

Louise Eagle

Chair of Trustees

Sue Evans

Chair of Trustees

Sue Evans

First elected in 2009, Sue became Chair in January 2024. Sue is a Member of all other Subcommittees.

Vice Chair

Margaret Rathbone

Vice Chair

Margaret Rathbone

First elected in 2016, Margaret became Vice Chair in March 2024. Margaret is Chair of the Information Governance and People & Values Subcommittees.

Trustee

Dr Eddie Slade

Trustee

Dr Eddie Slade

Eddie is Chair of Clinical Governance, Research Governance and Investment, Finance & Internal Audit Subcommittees. He is a Member of the Corporate Governance Subcommittee.

Trustee

Dr Jane Sissons

Trustee

Dr Jane Sissons

Jane was elected in 2016. Jane is a Member of the Clinical Governance and Safeguarding Subcommittees.

Trustee

Joanne Miller

Trustee

Joanne Miller

Joanne was elected in 2017. Joanne is a Member of People & Values and Information Governance Subcommittees.

Trustee

Kerry Brown

Trustee

Kerry Brown

Kerry was elected in 2016. Kerry is Chair of the DMH Staffordshire Enterprise Ltd Board and a Member of the DMH Staffordshire Lotteries Ltd Board.

Trustee

Terry Stanway

Trustee

Terry Stanway

Terry was elected in October 2018. Terry is a Member of the Clinical Governance and Pension Trustees Subcommittees.

Trustee

Jan Warren

Trustee

Jan Warren

Jan was co-opted in February 2022. Jan is a Member of the Clinical Governance, People & Values and Safeguarding Subcommittees.

Trustee

Tony Pegg

Trustee

Tony Pegg

Tony was elected in 2023. Tony is Chair of the DMH Staffordshire Lotteries Ltd and a Member of the Information Governance Subcommittee.

Trustee

Martin Tideswell

Trustee

Martin Tideswell

Martin was appointed in 2023.
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Our History

Find out more about how the hospice has grown since our establishment in 1973.

2024

Dougie Mac merge with local dementia charity, Approach Dementia Support, to enhance dementia care in our local community.

2023

We celebrated our 50th birthday providing specialist care for all ages in North Staffordshire.

2022

We were recognised as an ‘Investor in Excellence’ by performance improvement, organisational development, and sustainable growth specialists Investors in Excellence. The first hospice in the UK to achieve this standard.

2021

We opened our 20th charity shop in Biddulph. The premises was transformed into our newest retail outlet while retaining the quirky features of the former Natwest Bank

2021

Childrens Hospice Donna Louise Trust is officially amalgamated into Dougie Mac

2019

The Denise Coates Foundation Building for Young Adults was officially opened.

2019

We refurbished our adult Inpatient Unit following a generous donation from the Denise Coates Foundation.

2019

We were awarded the Healthworks Gold Award; the highest accreditation by Healthworks for Stoke-on-Trent for “Workplace Health and Wellbeing”. This award recognises the steps we have taken to improve health and wellbeing in the workplace.

2018

We formed a strategic alliance with local dementia charity Approach in a move to further develop specialist dementia care within Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire.

2017

In partnership with Dementia UK, we appointed our first Admiral Nurse to provide specialist dementia support to families in Staffordshire.

2017

We incorporated our new 7-bedded unit and independent living suites to our inpatient services, increasing our bed capacity to 33.

2015

Our new Day Therapy Services expand further with a new purpose-built unit opened thanks to a grant from the Department of Health. Supporters and charitable trusts funded the cost of fitting the building.

2012

We opened our 10th charity shop in Chesterton.

2011

We opened our innovative and award winning Community Lodges. These three independent lodges are situated on the main hospice grounds and are now used for our dedicated Dementia Services.

2010

We launched our 24/7 advice line for healthcare professionals providing palliative care to local adults.

2004

We extended our services beyond cancer to support any life-limiting illness – including Dementia, heart disease, motor neurone disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

2001

We launched our innovative Hospice at Home service which has enabled thousands of patients to spend their final days at home.

1998

We celebrated our 25th anniversary providing specialist hospice care.

1997

Our Children's hospice was founded by a group of local GPs who gathered together a group of like-minded individuals to explore how they could bring a service for children to Staffordshire.

1996

We launched the Dougie Mac Lottery!

1994

We opened our first charity shop in Hanley.

1993

Douglas Macmillan Home became Douglas Macmillan Hospice – or as it is now more commonly known Dougie Mac.

1983

Our first Palliative Care Nurse Specialists were appointed. Today, we receive referrals from GPs and district nurses to our community team, wherever possible, giving patients, families and carers a choice of where they wish to spend their remaining time.

1979

Our first Social Worker was appointed. We have always kept the holistic approach at the forefront of everything we do. Today we have a large team helping to care for all patients and families.

1973

We opened our door to patients as The Douglas Macmillan Home. In our first year we cared for 315 patients.