AN urgent appeal has been launched in a bid to help St Giles Hospice tackle a shortfall in its funding that has already seen it forced to cut jobs and beds.
The measures already taken have seen the Whittington-based charity reduce its budget deficit from £1.5million to £500,000 for 2025.
But it has come at a cost with 22 jobs lost and the number of inpatient beds cut from 23 to 15.
St Giles Hospice’s chief executive officer Elinor Eustace said additional issues – including a £200,000 pressure caused by Naitonal Insurance increases – were adding to the challenges facing the charity’s finances.
“The launch of our Urgent Appeal comes at a critical time for St Giles.
“Despite making significant progress in reducing our deficit through difficult decisions, we continue to face mounting financial pressures.
“With just 18% Government funding of our £10million annual costs, we rely heavily on our community’s incredible support to maintain our vital services.
“Our dedicated teams provide outstanding end of life care every day, but the current funding model isn’t sustainable.
“We’ve had to make some incredibly difficult decisions recently to protect our core services, including reducing our bed capacity and saying goodbye to valued colleagues. These changes, while necessary, impact our ability to care for as many people as we would wish to.
“We know times are challenging for everyone, but we also know the incredible generosity of our local community.
“St Giles has been here for over 40 years, providing specialist care when people need us most. With continued community support, we’re determined to ensure we can provide this vital care for generations to come.”
The hospice is now focusing on developing new income streams through its network of 22 charity shops, fundraising activities, lottery income and partnerships with community and healthcare organisations.
The launch of the St Giles Hospcie Urgent Appeal comes amid a wider crisis in the sector.
Hospice UK recently revealed around 300 hospice inpatient beds are currently closed or out of use in England, representing 14% of the total capacity.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have promised more support for hospice care, with an announcement due before Christmas.
Hospice UK has requested £110million in urgent, recurring funding until long-term reform is put in place.
Elinor added:
“Every donation makes a real difference – £32 could help fund one hour of specialist hospice care, while £768 could help provide 24 hours of care for someone at the end of their life.”
To support St Giles Hospice’s Urgent Appeal, visit www.stgileshospice.com/urgentappeal, call 01543 432538 or text 10APPEAL to 70460 to donate £10.
