THE first phase of works to improve St Andrew's Hospice could soon be underway thanks to a £988,441 grant.
The Department Of Health cash means a third of the £3 million cost of the project has now been accounted for – and hospice staff are already in talks with contractors to get work underway.
The first phase – which will be completed in 18 months to two years – will see:
Four additional adult beds being created.
Ensuite facilities being added to rooms which do not yet have them, in line with Care Quality Commission standards.
Additional public space being created, allowing people to come to the hospice for information and turning the centre into a "hub" for those with life limiting conditions.
Extending the front of the building and creating a new joint reception area for both the children's and adult wings.
Creating gym facilities for physiotherapy.
Building a new coffee shop.
Head of fundraising Jane Whenham-White added the new facilities would mean improvements to the care given to those with a wide range of life-limiting illnesses.
She said: "We can treat people as individuals, shaping their care to their individual needs and those of their families and carers."
The second phase of the project will see the development of aqua sauna facilities, for hydrotherapy; the third phase will be focused on the creation of a dementia unit for those with life-limiting conditions and the fourth will see an additional four adult beds being added – taking the total to 16.
She added the aim was now to secure revenue funding, as – while grateful for capital funding – it could only be used for specific projects and not ongoing running costs.
Keep checking your Grimsby Telegraph for details of this year's annual Sleepwalk on Friday, July 5.
Editor's Comment ST ANDREW'S Hospice is close to the hearts of many in North East Lincolnshire. Providing end-of-life care, today's announcement that it is getting almost £1 million towards its £3 million expansion plans is fantastic news. But, whilst a major step, we must not forget how much the hospice still needs to ensure this project goes ahead – not just the money needed for the building costs, but the increase in running costs that can be a struggle for the facility on a day-to-day basis. That the hospice must find the money to run the health care facility at all is a cause for debate. Shouldn't the National Health Service pay its running costs? It's true that the NHS is not a bottomless pot of cash, but it costs upwards of £3.5 million a year to keep the hospice going, with just 13 per cent coming from the government. Can such health facilities really be seen as a luxury? In an ideal world, it would be funded entirely by the NHS, but with austerity measures cutting even deeper, that's unlikely to happen. So thank goodness for the generous people of our area who continue to support this tremendous cause.