Hospice cuts patient services due to £2m shortfall

A hospice in Leicestershire is to cut patient services in a bid to bridge a £2m income shortfall.

LOROS Hospice said it would be cutting inpatient ward beds, day therapy and other services for patients and families.

The hospice said the decision came after a "perfect storm" of increased running costs, a reduction of income and a rise in demand from an ageing population.

But it hopes the changes will "secure its long-term future".

Inpatient beds will be reduced to 20 - down from 31 two years ago, the hospice said - while day therapy services will be reduced by a quarter.

There will be 50% cuts to physio, occupational therapy, social work, chaplaincy and complementary therapies, and LOROS is to close its volunteer home visiting service.

The BBC understands 69 jobs had been put at risk, but the final number of job losses cannot be reported as some staff have had hours cut, and others have filled roles within the NHS at the hospice.

Julie Marsden, who has been volunteering at the hospice visiting patients at home, said she was "devastated" to be losing the role and for people needing the support.

"I might just sit with the patient while a family member goes off and has a bit of respite, or just talk to them for a few hours," she said.

"Some people only have LOROS to talk to, giving them that mental and care support."

Ms Marsden volunteered with the hospice after her father died in 2017.

"He spent his last week here. We had a family room so I could be with him 24/7, which was amazing.

"I was offered counselling after that, and I just wanted to give something back."

Medical director Dr Luke Feathers said: "We've come to a really difficult moment.

"It's really disappointing and our staff feel heartbroken.

"At a time when patients really need our support we're not able to do as much as we want to.

"We are doing the same high quality of standard, but there's just not as much of it.

"We've been here 40 years. We want to be here another 40 years - that's always depended on the generosity and support."

Dr Feathers urged local communities to "get behind us to help us raise funds".

"We need them now more than ever," he added.

Chief executive Camilla Barrow said the hospice would work to ensure "a smooth transition" for patients, despite the changes being "hugely challenging".

She added if you needed care, "LOROS is still here for you".

She said: "Like other hospices, we are struggling with an incredibly tough financial situation.

"No hospice wants to be doing less when the need is so great.

"This is not what our patients deserve and it's not what our community deserves."

According to LOROS, it costs £932 per hour to run the charity, with about 20% of its funding coming from the NHS.

This means it needs to fundraise £9m each year to continue running.

LOROS said it had "extensive" summer fundraising planned, including its 10-week Stomp Round Leicester public art trail from 14 July.

Toby Porter, CEO of national charity Hospice UK, said the announcement was "heartbreaking" and that its thoughts were with LOROS staff and volunteers, and the patients and families they support.

He said: "The government has just emphasised the importance of hospices in their 10-year plan for the NHS and the role they can play in shifting care from hospitals into the community.

"But they can only do this if they are funded properly, so no hospice is forced to diminish their services when they could and should be bringing their care to more people."

The BBC has contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for comment.

In December, the government announced that hospices in England would receive £100m over two years to improve care.

But some hospices have said they cannot use the money for staff salaries, for which they need "urgent help".

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