Families contacted as hospice services change

A hospice facing a £3.7m deficit is writing to families after changes to services were agreed.

Southern Hospice Group said it had taken a "very difficult decision" to change services at its three sites in Sussex, following consultation that took place in February.

The team is contacting patients and families affected to ensure they continue to receive the care and support they need, a statement said.

Some services will end but many specialist services will continue and all three hospice sites will remain open. "We want to reassure our communities that we are not closing our hospices," the statement said.

Southern Hospice Group runs Chestnut Tree House children's hospice near Arundel, Martlets in Hove, and St Barnabas House in Worthing.

It said it had supported more than 100,000 patients and their families since the hospices were founded.

The group said it received 14% of its funding from the NHS and relied on the generosity of communities to keep hospices running.

Changes set out on its website will be implemented from Monday.

At St Barnabas House, the Hospice at Home service will continue to provide specialist palliative and end-of-life care but will no longer offer routine domiciliary care.

Living Well services, including group sessions and wellbeing activities, are also ending, but some therapeutic and rehabilitative services will continue.

Some volunteer-led services will no longer run.

The hospice will also move away from services based on specific conditions and instead focus on patients with the most complex palliative needs.

Patients will continue to receive support through their GP or specialist NHS teams.

At Martlets, wellbeing sessions will end along with some volunteer-led support.

Therapy teams, including counselling and chaplaincy, will focus on patients needing specialist care.

Chestnut Tree House will stop providing routine community respite for children and young people.

In-house respite will continue for children and families.

The group's statement said: "We must prioritise children, young people and their families to be supported and together in their final days."

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