Eastbourne and Hastings hospices pilot new AI app for bereavement support

St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Eastbourne and St Michael’s Hospice in Hastings have partnered with Whitelabel to launch Fi – an AI grief support companion app.

The free-of-charge hospices said the app, currently in its final pilot phase, was not designed to replace existing bereavement services, but instead as a way of providing ‘more support to more people’ outside of the hospices’ usual operating hours.

Fi – named after a friend of the Whitelabel’s founders who, after losing her mother, said a tool like this would have helped her – was created using both hospices’ expertise.

“We know there is a gap in bereavement support,” said Head of Patient and Family Support at St Wilfrid’s, Ella Williams.

“This can be because people are waiting for support, are between appointments, want support outside normal service hours, or do not feel ready for, or want to access, traditional services like one-to-one sessions or groups.

“Together we have been developing and testing an app that we believe can fill some of these gaps.”

Bereavement and Spiritual Support Services Lead at St Michael’s, Amalabandhu Chandler said: “Fi has been designed to complement both hospices’ existing services.

“Traditional counselling and bereavement support will always be an important part of hospice care, Fi is simply providing another option for people.

“It is also available to people who aren’t patients of the hospices, meaning more people can benefit from our expertise.”

Williams said that the pilot has welcomed more than 70 users and generated more than 400 conversations, with recorded usage during evenings and late nights reflecting ‘the need for support beyond traditional service hours’.

However, both hospices recognise that artificial intelligence (AI) creates both opportunities and risks.

Williams explains: “Throughout development, consideration has been given to safety, governance, privacy and the responsible use of technology.

“The pilot phase has been specifically designed to gather evidence, test assumptions and understand both the benefits and risks before making any longer-term decisions.”

The current pilot phase of Fi will run until Saturday, October 31, with participation optional, free and open to all. To find out more, visit www.whitelabel.ai/fi or the St Wilfrid’s or St Michael’s websites.