KEMP Hospice Expansion Begins

KEMP Hospice in Kidderminster has announced plans to expand facilities at their Mason Road hospice. The expansion, made possible thanks to the support of NHS England, will see four new rooms being built as an annex to the existing building, including dedicated space for children and young people. KEMP Chief Executive, Terry Osborn, said: “We have been staggered by the need for our pre and post bereavement services for children and young people which started just last year and from this we have already developed a Youth Forum to help to shape our services for the future. “To have a space that the children and young people see as being entirely for them is really exciting and a key part of our future care.” KEMP’s announcement is a positive response to recent news that almost half of those surveyed locally by Help the Hospices as a part of their two year Commission into the Future of Hospice Care had concerns that there will not be enough hospice care available in the future to support them or their loved ones, with this figure rising to almost two thirds of people aged over 65. The expansion will provide a further room for physio and complimentary therapies, a new, much larger, sanctuary space for spiritual care and a large multi-function room which can be utilised for creative and horticultural therapies for patients at the hospice.  This much larger room will enable the hospice, for the first time, to bring together larger numbers of patients, their families and loved ones to enjoy events, meetings and groups. The final part of the planned expansion is, for the first time for KEMP, to have a space dedicated for children and young people. Local Company, Universal Learning, are managing the project with the sustainable buildings themselves being manufactured off site to minimise any disruption to the work of the hospice and its neighbours, with all project contractors engaged from our local area. Paul Hawkins, Managing Director of Universal Learning said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Kemp Hospice on this innovative scheme of work.” Monday 2nd December will see local MP, Mark Garnier, a long term supporter of KEMP, visit the hospice to cut the first sod, with the plan seeing building works completed by March of 2014. Mr Osborn added: “Without the support of NHS England and Help the Hospices this vital new annex would not have been possible and we are grateful to them for their support of our work in the Wyre Forest by providing a grant of £398,000.” Additional Information: Help the Hospices research carried out by Populus in September 2013 highlighted, amongst other findings the following; Almost half of respondents (47%) describe the current provision of end of life care as ‘limited care at the end of life available, with some people unable to receive this’ with 29% saying that there is a severe shortage. Nationally, 70% of people say that the demand for hospice care will rocket in the future decades with 71% believing that there will not be enough hospice care available in the future to support all those who need it. 35% of respondents say that the most important thing hospices can do in order to improve the quality of end of life care is to provide more support in patient’s homes.  KEMP Hospice is already providing a Hospice at Home service providing much needed patient care and respite for their loved ones with the charity currently engaged in a consultation process to inform a strategic review of the services which they provide now and in the future.  For more information or to participate please contact terry Osborn on 01562 756003. All KEMP Hospice services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. KEMP needs to raise £940,000 annually to continue to provide these services, the majority of which comes from voluntary donations and the support of the local community. KEMP offers specialist care and support to patients, families and carers who are dealing with life limiting illness and bereavement, with the aim of maintaining their independence or supporting them to adapt to changing abilities so that they can live their lives to the full, for as long as possible. Contact details:      KEMP Hospice E: fundraising@kemphospice.org.uk T: 01562 756088  www.KEMPHospice.org.uk | facebook.com/KEMPHospice | @KEMPHospice |youtube.com/KEMPHospice