TWO local hospices have been handed £½m in Government cash as part of a move to boost end of life care.
Kirkwood Hospice in Dalton received £77,613 to help fund its support and therapy centre and buy a new patient vehicle.
And Overgate Hospice in Elland has been given £396,000 to expand its day facilities.
The money was awarded by the Department of Health as part of a national £40m scheme to improve care for people nearing the end of their lives.
A total of 16 hospices across Yorkshire and the Humber region received a share of almost £5m.
The money will pay for a variety of improvements such as the refurbishment of day care units, in-patient units and therapy centres.
Kirkwood Hospice fundraising manager Garry Wilkinson said: “Kirkwood is delighted to have been awarded £77,613 by the Department of Health to carry out improvements to the support and therapy centre at the hospice, together with the purchase of a new vehicle to make it easier for patients to access care at the hospice.
“Kirkwood needs to raise over £4m every year to maintain its vital services and with over 80% of this amount coming from voluntary donations, funding for capital projects is understandably limited.
“This award will allow the hospice to carry out improvements which will improve services for patients and their families and would not otherwise have been possible.”
Jenni Feather, chief executive of Overgate Hospice, said: “We are incredibly proud of the work we carry out at the hospice and it is due to the success of our day hospice facilities that we are now in a position of needing to expand.
“We have many patients with complex care needs and this fund will allow the hospice to extend the facilities and give all our patients the care they deserve.”
Fiona Hicks, senior clinical leader for end of life care for NHS Yorkshire and the Humber – who works with a number of the region’s hospices – also welcomed the money.
She said: “This is fantastic news. We welcome any investment which will improve care for patients, particularly at this time when charities are finding it more difficult to raise funds.
“Comfortable surroundings are vital for people who are living with terminal illnesses or are reaching the end of their life.
“The NHS in Yorkshire and the Humber is committed to ensuring those patients and their families and friends receive the best care and support possible in the best environment.”
The funding was committed as part of the Government’s End of Life Care Strategy to provide high quality care for all adults approaching the end of their lives.
Care services minister Phil Hope said: 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.Š
“This grant will help hospices care for people’s physical, emotional and social needs.’’
