Southern Hospice Group – which runs Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice near Arundel, Martlets in Hove, and St Barnabas House in Worthing – said it has launched a consultation, proposing a number of changes to its services.
The consultation, which is expected to take around 30 days, follows a detailed review into the group’s clinical offering amid financial concerns.
It said the group cannot confirm what services are affected until the consultation period ends, but any changes will come into effect from April.
The group runs three hospices in Sussex, including Chestnut Tree House near Arundel (Image: Google Maps)
The hospice group offers a free service to patients and their family, only receiving 14% of funding from our NHS grant and therefore dependent on the generosity of communities.
In a statement, the group revealed that it is currently operating at a deficit of £3.7million, compounded by increased demand and rising costs.
It said: “Since we merged to form Southern Hospice Group in 2024, we’ve done all we can to try to bridge this gap without affecting our clinical services, such as making significant savings in our non-clinical teams, combining systems to reduce duplication, and exploring new income streams.
“Unfortunately, this hasn’t been enough, so we’re having to make some difficult decisions today, to ensure that we can continue to be here for our communities long into the future.”
The group did state it has “reserve funds” to help see them through for the short-term and said the changes look to find a sustainable solution, which aligns with available funding.
It said: “While we are in a financially challenging position, we have reserves to see us through the short-term. Provided we take action to reduce costs and increase income enough to tackle the deficit now, we will remain open and here for our communities in the long-term.
“This review of our services will play a big part in reducing the deficit and support us as we work to achieve long-term financial sustainability.”
It added: “We’d like to reassure our community that in every decision we make, our patients remain our highest priority.
“We’d like to thank all of our colleagues, volunteers, patients, children, young people, families and supporters alike for their patience and understanding at this difficult time.”
The group has also set up a dedicated page on their website offering further information and support for patients and staff.
Source link
[Featured]
[Just In]
