Jobs lost as hospice battles major funding crisis
St Giles Hospice has been forced to cut jobs and reduce inpatient care to address a £1.5m deficit.
Following a period of consultation, the hospice has axed 21 jobs and cut back its inpatient capacity from 23 to just 15 beds, to focus on its specialist palliative care services.
The hospice will continue to operate 12 specialist palliative care beds, along with three end-of-life care beds, with their Therapies and Family Support and Bereavement teams working closely with Inpatient care teams.
The significant changes come as hospices across the UK face a collective £77m funding deficit due to rising operating costs and a lack of funding.
Whilst receiving a real-terms reduction in income from the NHS, St Giles, which supports patients at sites in Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield and in their own homes, has seen big increases in costs, including the price paid for energy, food and clinical supplies. Voluntary income raised has also been impacted by the current financial climate, as supporters have struggled to cope with the cost-of-living crisis.
Elinor Eustace, Interim CEO of St Giles Hospice said: “We remain fully committed to providing outstanding end of life care to local people and their families, where and when they need it. However, the landscape in which hospices operate is evolving, and St Giles needs to adapt to keep up with changes and challenges currently being faced in palliative and end of life care, whilst ensuring good financial management.
“Following careful consideration and consultation, we have consolidated our services to focus on our core specialist palliative care provision. While these decisions have been incredibly difficult, they are essential to safeguard the future of our services and ensure the long-term survival of St Giles,” she said.
Robin Vickers, Chair of the Board of Trustees added: “Our priority throughout this process has been to maintain the highest possible level of care while ensuring the long-term sustainability of our services. We have consolidated our Community care provision to create a seamless journey for our patients, specifically retaining and combining our Advice and Referrals Centre, Hospice at Home, Respite and Community nursing services.”
