Queenscourt Hospice has 18 months to fill a £2 million black hole
Queenscourt Hospice in Southport(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Pressure has been put on the Health Secretary for increased funding to save a Merseyside hospice. Southport MP Patrick Hurley has announced he is due to meet Health Secretary Wes Streeting to find a solution in order to keep the doors of Queenscourt Hospice after it was revealed it could be forced to close its doors in just 18 months time.
A spokesperson for the Southport-based service said last month it had been forced to reduce services for patients, as it continues to operate with the multi-million pound deficit. Officially opened by Princess Diana a year after its launch in 1992 and based in Kew, Queenscourt offers care for patients at the end of their lives, with the hospice also supporting families members. It has now said it faces it’s toughest financial challenge in its history.
The hospice has announced a reduction of its in-patient ward from 10 beds to five as it battles financial instability. It also said it is being forced to reduce some of its wider core clinical services including Queenscourt at home shifts and outpatient therapy services, in addition to housekeeping and catering services.
A spokesperson for the hospice said if no action is taken, Queenscourt could close within 18 months.
The ECHO visited Queenscourt this month to speak with those affected by the potential closure, with Mr Hurley now writing on social media: “Following a letter I sent to the Secretary of State last month, I’ve now secured a meeting with ministers to discuss what can be done to prevent Queenscourt Hospice from having to reduce vital services.
“I’ll keep doing everything I can, both locally and in Westminster, to support Queenscourt. In the meantime, if you’re able to, please consider supporting their ‘Keep Queenscourt in Service’ campaign: queenscourt.org.uk/KeepQueenscourtInService
“Or you can call 01704 517420 to donate over the phone. At times like this, community support really matters.”
In the letter to Mr Streeting, the Southport MP wrote: “I understand the prtessures facing Queenscourt, but this would be a huge loss to Southport, West Lancashire and the broader region.
Queenscourt Hospice in Southport(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“Many who require palliative care who require round-the-clock care, which is just not possible in a community setting, whereas the inpatient unit provides constant access to the medication they need and support if anything were to happen.”
On April 15 Dr Clare Finnegan, one of the directors of Queenscourt, joined Hospice UK in its march to Downing Street where members from hospices across the UK delivered a letter calling for increased funding for services.
Speaking to the ECHO ahead of the event, she said: “It now costs us £2m more to run the hospice each year than we have coming from various finance streams and the financial reserves that we had are running out.
“As a hospice, we’re facing the most difficult financial crisis we’ve had since opening 35 years ago. If we do nothing, we know our services will need to close within the next 18 months.
“We have been faced with a decision of reducing services in the hope we can continue to provide the population of Southport, West Lancs and Formby with specialist palliative care long enough for us to see an increase in statutory funding.”
It comes after the Public Accounts Committee said last month how the hospice sector in England is facing a “serious financial situation” which is already affecting patient care, including cuts to services.
MP Patrick Hurley(Image: Patrick Hurley MP)
Hospice UK warned that nearly six in 10 English hospices have made or are considering cuts to frontline services.
Hospice UK, which represents more than 200 hospices, demanded £112.5m in recurring revenue funding, as well as other measures, in its visit to London this week.
Charlie King, Director of External Affairs at Hospice UK said: “This is an incredibly difficult time for everyone at Queenscourt Hospice, and our thoughts are with the staff affected, as well as the patients and families who rely on their care.
“Sadly, this is not an isolated situation. Hospices across the UK are facing growing financial pressures, with six out of 10 hospices either making cuts or planning to. Over 20 other hospices so far have been forced to make heartbreaking decisions like this.
“Hospice UK are calling for urgent action through our four-point plan for fairer funding, so hospices can continue to provide the vital, compassionate care that communities depend on.
“Our plan provides a clear formula for what the NHS should be paying for – protecting specialist clinical services with full statutory funding, and allowing charitable giving to be used to provide enhanced services. We can all agree that pain relief, medications and the salaries of nurses and other healthcare staff shouldn’t have to rely on bake sales, fun runs and the sale of second hand clothes.”
To help support Queenscourt please go to queenscourt.org.uk/KeepQueenscourtInService, or call Queenscourt’s fundraising team on 01704 517420 to find out the many ways in which you can help. This includes contacting your local MP on behalf of Queenscourt. For further information, please go to queenscourt.org.uk/MPcontact.