23 May 2011
Keech Hospice Care is today celebrating the opening of its newly expanded and refurbished adult day hospice which has been completed thanks to a £200,000 capital grant from the Department of Health plus grants from several charitable trusts.
Keech was one of 116 hospices from across England awarded a grant last year to enhance care for patients and families by improving the physical environment of the hospice.
Over the last five months, the hospice has significantly expanded the day unit, creating dedicated spaces for art therapy, private consulting rooms, much improved toilet and bathroom facilities and quiet areas for patients and carers to relax. There’s also a new family room that can be used by relatives when they have a loved one staying in the hospice or for pre-bereavement support. In addition to this, the hospice’s laundry area has been refurbished and the whole day hospice has been redecorated throughout, giving it a much more modern and fresh feel.
Adult Services Manager, Elaine Tolliday describes the impact this will have: “This refurbishment work will improve the way we care for our patients, providing us with a day hospice that can be used more effectively for the combination of group activities and individual support we offer.
“However, the physical changes we’ve made are only part of the story. Our aim has been to provide an environment where we can offer a wider range of services to significantly more patients and their carers. We’ll continue to run our established day service but will also be offering more drop-in sessions and out-patient clinics, giving our patients greater choice about the way they access our support.
“We have multi-faith facilities and are also creating a games area that will help us to support young people as they start to outgrow our children’s hospice. In the near future we also hope to set up specific clinics that will help our patients with issues such as breathlessness and fatigue management. All in all, this new development helps us to better support our patients in a way that suits their different needs and lifestyles.”
As the leading charity supporting hospice care throughout the UK, Help the Hospices administered the grants programme on behalf of the Department of Health and managed the implementation of the funds.
David Praill, Chief Executive of Help the Hospices, explains: “Although hospice care is more than just a building – with the majority of services being provided in people’s homes – the building itself gives Keech Hospice Care an important physical presence in the community.
“This Department of Health capital grant programme has made a huge difference to the quality of hospice environments across the UK. The funds have enhanced living spaces and equipped hospices with some of the practical tools needed to meet the wide ranging needs of people with life limiting and terminal illness and their friends and family.”
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “Hospices make an immense contribution in providing compassionate, quality care for people at the end of life. This is why the £40 million hospice capital grant scheme was so vital.
“I am delighted about the major improvements this funding has made possible at hospices across England. It is clear that the well being of patients and their loved ones has been at the heart of these refurbishments.”
