£60m cash injection to improve hospices across England
Government announces moneypot to improve the environment in which end-of-life services are delivered
Hospices in England that provide end-of-life care will share a £60m moneypot to improve the environment in which services are delivered.
The Government fund will lead to improvements at 176 facilities, creating new spaces for patients, their families and carers and supporting hospices to provide care to people in their own homes.
Work will include the refurbishment of inpatient and visitor areas including enhancements to bedrooms and bathrooms and the provision of overnight facilities for families. There will also be a boost for day therapy services including providing transport services, and improvements to outside spaces so patients can spend time in the fresh air.
Announcing the funding, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said: “Hospices help patients and their families at what can be the most difficult part of their life.
This extra funding will help bring hospices up to date, so that staff and volunteers can work in modern environments, helping them continue to provide wonderful support with compassion and kindness. And patients will see a huge difference in their surroundings, which play a considerable part in helping them psychologically and physically
”This extra funding will help bring hospices up to date, so that staff and volunteers can work in modern environments, helping them continue to provide wonderful support with compassion and kindness. And patients will see a huge difference in their surroundings, which play a considerable part in helping them psychologically and physically.”
Run in partnership with the charity, Help the Hospices, the funding was made available to projects delivering improvements that directly benefit patients, have a tangible impact on the physical environment and provide value for money.
The fund builds on the successful outcomes from a £40m scheme run in 2010/11 and applies to both hospices for children and adults.
Care and Support Minister, Norman Lamb, said: “Every one of us has the right to the best quality of care at the end of our lives and hospices play an integral role in helping to deliver this.
“This fund will help hospices provide dignified, compassionate, high-quality care and support to people and their families at what is a difficult time in their lives."
Investment in hospices is vital so they can continue to innovate, modernise and expand in order to meet the growing needs of the communities they serve
David Praill, chief executive of Help the Hospices, added: “Investment in hospices is vital so they can continue to innovate, modernise and expand in order to meet the growing needs of the communities they serve.
“Currently, too many people do not get the care they want or need and the numbers needing care continue to increase. Together, we face the challenge to ensure that people receive the best possible care at the end of their life, irrespective of where they choose to be cared for, where they live, or what condition they have. This funding will make a huge difference to the quality, dignity and compassion of the care provided."
The funding was committed as part of the Department of Health’s strategy to provide high-quality care for all adults approaching the end of their life, which was launched in July 2008.
Hospices that will benefit include Barnsley Hospice, which will receive £469,779 towards the refurbishment of its inpatient unit; Bury Hospice, which will get £507,297 towards improving hospice provision for children at Kringle House; and Earl Mountbatten Hospice, which will spend £777,022 refurbishing its hospitality provision.
Click here for a full breakdown of the individual schemes.
