"I cannot put into words how angry I feel. We want clear answers": Nurses disappointed as full financial review at Ashgate Hospice not going ahead

Ashgate Hospice and Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) have confirmed that a full financial review into Ashgate’s finances would not be going ahead.

This comes after a meeting with Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock and Derbyshire MPs at Westminster earlier this month, which saw the hospice and ICB representatives agree to work together to review what services would be funded by the NHS in the future.

However, it was agreed that the full financial review, which was initially offered to the hospice by the ICB in October last year, would not be going ahead.

This has left Ashgate Hospice nurses disappointed as they hoped it would provide much-needed transparency following heart-breaking redundancies, which affected over 30 employees.

Jane O’Brian, East Midlands Senior Regional Officer at Royal College of Nursing who has been supporting nurses at Ashgate Hospice, said: “I cannot put into words how angry I feel towards the decisions that have been made.

"Many of us feel deeply disappointed and unsettled by the decision not to proceed with a full financial review.

"More than twenty skilled, knowledgeable and passionate members of the nursing team have lost their jobs.

"In light of the recent redundancies and the significant impact they have had on staff morale, wellbeing, and patient care, greater transparency would have provided much-needed reassurance.

"The thought that this could have been avoided makes me unbearably sad for myself, the remaining members of the IPU team and the patients care for.

"For nursing staff, this is not about placing blame, but about understanding and accountability.

"The ward was significantly impacted by the redundancies. We want clear answers as to why frontline inpatient services were affected to such a degree.

"I am appalled that Ashgate are not obliged to agree to an independent financial review.

"We question why it is not considered reasonable to examine past finances.”

On October 17 last year Derby and Derbyshire ICB made an offer to Ashgate Hospice that the NHS would fund an independent review of the current arrangements between Ashgate and the ICB.

In a statement issued in November 2025, a spokesperson for Derby and Derbyshire ICB, said: “The aim of this review would be to provide an objective, shared, "open book" view of service costs and funding arrangements, drawing on benchmarking and comparators to be agreed between both parties.

“Our funding offer of up to £100,000 was for the cost of the review and to pay towards specific and agreed mitigations of the services at risk.

“We remain keen to undertake a financial and service review with Ashgate, with full transparency around the service costs and services provided with NHS funding. This will be necessary if sustainable solutions are to be found.

“This offer was made as part of a package of proposals made to Ashgate during our discussions with them. The offer of the review was declined by Ashgate.”

Hospice employees and members of the public raised concerns over the lack of transparency and how finances were managed at the organisation.

While 33 employees across clinical and support teams were affected by redundancies and the number of inpatient beds was reduced to eight, no cuts were made at the Leadership Team.

More concerns were raised at the beginning of January, when newly released accounts revealed significant pay increases among highest earning staff at Chesterfield hospice despite financial difficulties.

Jane O’Brian said that there was still a lack of clarity and transparency about the decision to reduce costs by making cuts to bed numbers and making nursing staff redundant.

She explained that at a full financial review would restore the much-needed trust in Ashgate.

She added: "A full and transparent review would have helped restore trust among staff.

"Without it, confidence in the organisation and people in charge of decision-making remains affected.

"Reviewing previous financial management is essential to understand what must change to protect patient safety in the future and safeguard jobs

"The fact that they continue to decline such a review makes me suspicious that there has been some financial mismanagement.

“Redundancies in a hospice setting are deeply felt both professionally and personally and the loss of experienced ward staff has had a profound impact on the team.

“We remain committed to delivering safe, compassionate care to our patients and families.

"However, staff need openness and accountability to feel secure about the future.”

Despite the calls for transparency, Ashgate Hospice confirmed it was not currently considering a full financial review.

The hospice said they wanted to focus on positives after the meeting with Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock and promised work together with the ICB to agree on future funding.

A spokesperson for Ashgate Hospice said: “Like other hospices across the country we are facing significant funding challenges which led to our recent job cuts and service changes.

"We were able to explain these challenges in some detail to the Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock in a meeting helpfully organised by Derbyshire MPs and since then local discussions have significantly improved.

"We are currently in negotiations with the ICB, with the support of NHS England, about services for the people of North Derbyshire and the associated funding requirements and are working collaboratively together. The ICB have confirmed that a financial review is not needed.”

Derby and Derbyshire ICB confirmed that the meeting with the Minister was helpful and the board was now keen to work with Ashgate to agree funding for the coming financial year.

Amanda Sullivan, chief executive NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board, said: "Following our constructive discussions with the Minister, MPs and Ashgate Hospice, our collective focus now is to review and define the services that are provided to local people through NHS funding.

"Our discussions with Ashgate since the meeting with the Minister have been positive.

"The first step is to agree a detailed specification of services for the coming financial year which meet local need and are affordable to the NHS.

"We are not currently actively seeking an independent financial review."