Ashgate Hospicecare set to be transformed to give families more precious time together

Ashgate Hospicecare is to be transformed to allow families to sleep by their loved ones’ side.
Ashgate Hospicecare has unveiled new plans for the facility.Ashgate Hospicecare has unveiled new plans for the facility.
Ashgate Hospicecare has unveiled new plans for the facility.

The hospice plans to develop their three bedded bays into nine modern bedrooms giving patients a private space to be surrounded by family and friends.

Barbara-Anne Walker, chief executive of Ashgate Hospicecare, said: “We believe every person matters and they matter until the end of their life. The time that patients and their families spend with us will often be the most precious days and nights. We offer them outstanding nursing and medical care.

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MORE NEWS: Find out who has recently appeared at court in Chesterfield“However, for many of the people who need to be on our Inpatient Unit, we are no longer able to offer them the privacy and dignity that they deserve and that we would all want for ourselves or for someone we love.”

Ashgate Hospicecare has unveiled new plans for the facility.Ashgate Hospicecare has unveiled new plans for the facility.
Ashgate Hospicecare has unveiled new plans for the facility.

Dr Sarah Parnacott, consultant in palliative medicine at the hospice, said: “When the hospice was first opened we had three bedded bays built which have not changed over the last 30 years. However, the needs of the patients that now come into the hospice have changed dramatically.

MORE NEWS: This is how many potholes Derbyshire County Council fixed last year “The biggest challenge that the three bays create for our patients is the lack of privacy. There are three bed spaces very close to each other, only separated by a flimsy curtain.

“Whenever possible, we do try and move a patient who is nearing the end of their life into a single bedroom to afford them greater privacy and dignity, but that’s not always possible. When a patient is dying in one of the bays it can be very distressing for other patients sharing the bay and their families.

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“Turning the bays into these beautiful single bedrooms will give our patients and their families a spacious, private and dignified environment and give the other doctors, our nursing staff and me the power to care for more people.”

And Ali Ward-Foster, partnerships manager at the hospice, said: “Since we opened our doors 30 years ago we have always prioritised our spending on the front line services that enable us to care for patients and their families. We rely on donations and gifts in Wills for over 70 per cent of our funding. We hope local businesses and people will support the hospice with an additional donation for this project.”