Hospices caring for Redbridge residents welcome £60million pot of cash

Jessica Earnshaw , Reporter Sunday, June 3, 2012
9:00 AM

Hospices which provide vital care for children and adults in Redbridge have welcomed a £60million pot of funding to help improve the quality of care for people nearing the end of their lives.

The government money, announced last week, is open to all adult and children’s hospices in England and will help improve care for patients and families by enhancing the hospice environment.

Hospices will be able to apply for funding for improvements to day-therapy facilities, including providing transport services, developing or improving out-reach services and the refurbishment of inpatient and visitor areas.

Funds will also be available for improvements to mortuary and bereavement facilities, gardens and outside spaces.

Jane Frame is director of fundraising and marketing at Saint Francis Hospice, Havering-atte-Bower, which cares for adults in a number of boroughs including Redbridge.

She said: “The hospice needs to raise £7.7million this year to provide its specialist care and support for local people and we are constantly looking for funding opportunities to enable us to develop our services and facilities.

“We have applied for similar grants in the past and will look at this grant to see if we can access any money for improvements without using donations.”

A spokesman for Haven House Children’s Hospice, High Road, Woodford Green, said: “I think it is a bit too early to say whether or not we would apply but we certainly would be interested.

“Extra investment for hospices is, and will always be gratefully received.

“We are continually striving to better meet the needs of those that access our services, and improving our hospice building is a key to achieving that.”