Sovereign Health Care is a proud supporter of Marie Curie and in 2018 we donated £106,000 through our Community Programme to help the charity redevelop its Bradford-based hospice.
At the end of September 2019, the refurbished outpatient unit at the hospice reopened with a whole host of improvements, meaning Marie Curie can now double the number of patients that it cares for at any one time.
We spoke with Jo Whincup, the manager of Marie Curie’s Bradford Hospice, about what it means to receive such donations and the redevelopment of the hospice.
Q: What does the donation from Sovereign Health Care mean to Marie Curie’s redevelopment project?
Jo Whincup (JW): We were delighted that Sovereign donated so generously to our redevelopment project. This generosity will reach so many and means so much to local people and their loved ones.
Q: What were the most pressing improvements for Marie Curie Bradford Hospice?
JW: The work included a lounge extension and refurbishment, a new rehabilitation kitchen, refurbished medical consultation room, day therapy office and accessible bathrooms. Other new facilities include an enlarged gym and therapy room. The new modern facility will serve as a space to host a range of activities and complementary therapies such as massages and Reiki.
Q: How will the refurb benefit the patients and the staff?
JW: The developments will also enable the hospice to double the number of people it can support and enhance the range of services provided. The new unit has created a space for patients to not only receive the care they need and deserve at the end of their life but is also somewhere for them to relax and express their feelings through art and music therapy, or gain strength during tailored therapy sessions in the newly developed gym.
The refurbished outpatient unit will allow staff to run more group sessions for patients which will reduce the isolation people face because of their illness, by providing more opportunities to meet others in the same situation, building up friendships and support networks.
There are many practical developments which will benefit both the patients and staff in the hospice such as the built-in piped oxygen and access points throughout the day therapy unit, which has reduced the need for patients to have individual oxygen cylinders, enabling us to care for more patients with lung conditions.
Also, the remodelled medical consultation and treatment rooms with widened doors and wooden floors will enable patients in the day therapy unit to have easier access and more privacy when receiving treatments.
Q: How important is it that you get donations from organisations such as Sovereign?
JW: It is vital that people get the right care and support at the end of their lives, and donations from organisations such as Sovereign enable us to reach more people who need our support.
The needs of the people of Bradford are changing as our population increasingly ages and we will need to care for more people with a wider variety of complex terminal illnesses. It is estimated that by 2040. there will be 100,000 more people dying each year across the UK, and the majority of these people will be affected by some form of terminal illness.
The outpatient unit has a focus on rehabilitative palliative care, which allows people to stay as active and independent as possible in their own homes.
If you would like to find out more about Marie Curie, and how you can support their work, visit www.mariecurie.org.uk
To find out more about Sovereign Health Care’s Community Programme, visit sovereignhealthcare.co.uk/about/community-programme