Service Enhancements
June 2010 - Government backs £40 million improvements to hospices
Capital grants to UK hospices promised in the last few months of Labour’s administration have been reconfirmed as part of the coalition government’s review of spending commitments made by the previous government since January 2010. The news followed yesterday’s announcement by the chief secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander MP, about projects that the Treasury has cancelled or suspended.
One hundred and twenty-three hospices across the UK, including St Mary’s in Ulverston, had been awarded grants totalling £40m in April 2010 to enhance care for patients and families by improving the physical environment of care. The grants were to be used to fund work ranging from installing specialist equipment, refurbishing bathrooms, or improving gardens to enable patients and their families to spend time outdoors.
Since May 2010, when the review was announced, hospices have been waiting anxiously to hear if the new government would reconfirm the much-awaited grants. There is now great relief that these crucial projects to benefit hospice patients and their families can go ahead.
David Praill, chief executive of Help the Hospices, the leading charity supporting hospice care throughout the UK, said: “We are delighted with this news and pleased that the new government has recognised the importance of this funding to help improve the care of people affected by life-limiting and terminal illness throughout the country. Many hospices are very relieved that they can now go ahead with their much-anticipated improvement projects. Although hospice care is more than just a building – with many services being provided in people’s homes – the building itself gives hospice care an important physical presence in the community. The coalition government has already made very clear statements expressing their support for hospice care – they have committed to a new funding system for hospice care and extended emergency funding for children’s hospices – and we are delighted that they have followed through that commitment by honouring these grants.”
St Mary’s Hospice was successful in securing a grant of £263,317 for additional major capital refurbishments of the hospice facilities in Ulverston. At St Mary’s the money will be used for improving the bathroom facilities on the ground and first floor of the building, installing a nurse call system including bed alarms, re-equipping the Hospice kitchen, putting in hoists for all bedrooms without them and installing a stand by generator to protect the building and maintain vital equipment in the event of power cuts.
The funds will equip St Mary’s with some of the practical tools to meet the wide-ranging needs of people with life-limiting and terminal illness, and their friends and family.
April 2010 - Boost for St Mary's
People nearing the end of their lives in south Cumbria will benefit from major refurbishments of hospice facilities, thanks to a £263,317 Department of Health grant, Care Services Minister Phil Hope announced today.
St Mary’s is one of 123 hospices across the country to be awarded part of a £40 million fund to improve care for patients and families by enhancing and equipping hospices to give better quality care, more dignity and more privacy to their patients.
The funding was committed as part of the Department of Health’s End of Life Care Strategy to provide high quality care for all adults approaching the end of their life, launched in July 2008. The projects will begin in April 2010 and will be completed by 31 March 2011.
Care Services Minister Phil Hope said, “Whether it’s being able to take time out in the garden or having a hoist that enables you to move with more dignity, the physical environment directly impacts on people’s care. We know that improving the caring environment is something that is very important to people. Today I am delighted to be able to make that a reality in south Cumbria.”
David Praill, Help the Hospices Chief Executive, said,
“Local hospices play a central role in the delivery of end of life care and we warmly welcome these new funds. Although hospice care is more than just a building – with many services being provided in people’s homes – the building itself gives hospice care an important physical presence in the community
This grant will make a huge difference to the quality of hospice environments. The funds will enhance living spaces and equip hospices with some practical tools to meet the wide ranging needs of people with life limiting and terminal illness and their friends and family."
To find out more about the Government’s end of life care strategy, visit http://www.endoflifecare.nhs.uk/eolc/
Help the Hospices is the leading charity supporting hospice care throughout the UK. It represents and supports its 213 hospice members in their vital work on the front line of caring for people with life-limiting and terminal illnesses.
Janurary 2010 - Service Enhancements
In addition to these works to enhance the experience of those who visit us, we are planning to significantly enhance our service provision by augmenting our community nursing activities to cater for the increasing number of people for whom the home is the preferred choice of care. St Mary's nurses with their specialist palliative care expertise will work in the hospice and in the community alongside their medical and other colleagues to ensure coordinated care is available wherever and whenever it is needed. The service has benefited from the generosity of one local benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous, and of another who has kindly provided vehicles for our use. In addition, Alan Myerscough Limited have made a car available.
Your Support
Our ability to continue to develop services in this way is to a large extent dependent on the willingness of the community to support us with funds for current expenses - about £2.2 million a year is needed. Next year will see a major fundraising campaign to raise awareness of and support for St Mary's nurses. There will be opportunities to 'sponsor a nurse' and for major donors to be identified with St Mary's. We appreciate your interest and look forward to your contribution as the campaign unfolds.