Hospice crisis deepening as much-needed beds are lost

A MAJOR hospice has closed beds and warned of widespread redundancies amid a crisis engulfing the sector.

- Giles Sheldrick

Hospiscare, which helps those with terminal illnesses in Devon, has been forced to change its end-of-life service in response to "insufficient funding and rising costs".

It is the latest group forced to cut back having a huge impact on the families it helps.

The independent charity chain has slashed the number of beds on its ward at its centre in Exeter. It is now having to change how it delivers part of its at-home care for patients during the last days of their lives. This is likely to result in staff redundancies.

Ann Rhys, clinical director, said: "Hospiscare is at the thin end of the wedge but tragically we are not alone.

Painful

"Hospices throughout the nation are facing a funding crisis and having to make painful decisions about services that impact on the lives, and deaths, of local people.