Hospiscare launches £1m emergency appeal to save end-of-life services in Devon

A hospice charity in Exeter has launched an urgent fundraising appeal to keep its specialist services open.

Hospiscare needs financial support after losing vital income due to the pandemic. It now needs to raise an additional £1million by March 2022 to ensure its ward beds can stay open and weekend care services can continue.

The charity has seen a 15% rise in referrals since 2020 and is now caring for more people than ever before. Having remained open throughout the pandemic, the staff are still delivering care to some of the most vulnerable people in the local community.

But it costs £22,784 every day just to keep its vital services going, which amounts to £8 million pounds a year. The hospice relies on support from the community as just 18% of its funding comes from the NHS.

2022 will mark 40 years since Hospiscare was founded. Credit: ITV West Country

Hospiscare’s Clinical Director and Deputy CEO, Tina Naldrett, said: “Our doctors and nurses provide specialist end-of-life care to patients and families across 1,028 square miles of Devon’s heartland.

"If the funding shortfall continues, there is a real risk Hospiscare will have to close beds on our ward and reduce our vital weekend services in patients’ homes.

"The past 18 months have been the most difficult in almost 40 years of caring for local people and the charity’s income has not recovered enough to keep pace with the cost of care."

Andrew Welch says he is "forever grateful" to the staff at Hospiscare. Credit: ITV West Country

Andrew Welch cannot speak highly enough of Hospiscare. His wife, Emma, was cared for there in the winter of 2019. She had terminal cancer and was looked after by the staff for seven weeks.

He said: "They give those who are dying, time and dignity and certainly in my wife's case, confidence - and doing so in a very dignified and loving atmosphere which makes a huge difference to everyone involved.

"Emma had probably six or seven extra weeks additional life because of the care that this hospice provided. It made a phenomenal difference to her life." 

The appeal is called ‘Save our Services’ and the goal is to raise £1million by March 2022. Katie Chantler, Hospiscare’s Director of Fundraising, said: “We're really asking everyone to donate what they can.

"More importantly, set up regular monthly gifts to us, anything from £5 a month would be incredible. Most importantly, please also consider us for gifts in your wills - that would be amazing."