ST Rocco’s Hospice will play a key role in Warrington’s response to the Coronavirus crisis after constructing a new emergency ward.
The ward has beds for 4 patients (and space for up to 8 if necessary) which will provide end of life care for palliative patients.
The new ward aims to ease the pressure on overstretched hospitals and community services, by taking in extra patients during this crisis.
It comes as the government announces financial aid for the UK’s hospices, at a time when fundraising income has been severely hit by shops closures and events cancellations.
Pam Massey, CEO of St Rocco’s said: “It is really important to St Rocco’s Hospice that we support our community in times of crisis – just as the community and people of Warrington have always generously supported our work. We want to do what we do best: offer care, compassion and dignity to all our patients.
“We are thrilled with the government’s pledge to provide funding to hospices, to help us support the NHS and our community in this time.
“However, we still depend largely on the generosity of our community to keep our vital services running for future generations.
“We don’t yet know when we will receive the government funding, how much it will be and how it will be allocated across the UK’s hospices.
“And right now, we are facing great financial uncertainty, just at the time when demand for our services has never been higher.”
The Hospice has recently launched an emergency £1m appeal for donations to help ensure that they are able to keep their services running, which can be donated to at https://www.stroccos.org.uk/appeal
