£60 million boost for hospices
Hospices are to benefit from up to £60 million of funding to help improve the quality of care for people nearing the end of their lives, Care Services Minister Paul Burstow announced today.

The funding - which is open to all adult and children바카라 사이트s hospices in England - will help improve care for patients and families by enhancing the hospice environment, as well as supporting the care hospices provide to people in their own homes.
Hospices will be able to apply for funding for a range of projects, including:
- Improvements to day-therapy facilities, including providing transport services;
- Developing or improving out-reach services to support people in their own homes;
- Refurbishment of inpatient and visitor areas, including improvements to bedrooms and bathrooms and providing overnight facilities for families;
- Improvements to mortuary and bereavement facilities; and
- Improvements to gardens and outside spaces so patients can spend time outdoors.
The principal requirements are that projects deliver improvements that directly benefit patients, have a tangible impact on the physical environment and provide value for money.
Care Services Minister, Paul Burstow, said:
바카라 사이트Our surroundings at the end of our lives play a critical role in our wellbeing.
바카라 사이트This money will help hospices all over the country make improvements such as redesigning rooms or putting in place facilities to help people remain independent.
바카라 사이트We are making this investment because we want hospices to be able to provide dignified, compassionate, high quality care and support to people and their families at what is a difficult time in their lives.바카라 사이트
Paul Burstow is visiting St Christopher바카라 사이트s Hospice, Sydenham, today to see the major refurbishments the hospice was able to carry out after receiving funding through the capital grants scheme.
Dame Barbara Monroe, Chief Executive of St Christoper바카라 사이트s Hospice inLondon, said:
바카라 사이트A Department of Health grant gave us the opportunity to reconfigure the ground floor to create a light-filled multipurpose space with exceptional facilities for patients and families.
바카라 사이트The new social space known as The Anniversary Centre also houses a full programme of activities to encourage the public into the hospice for concerts, Sunday lunch and a community choir as well as our Schools Project which has now worked with over 40 schools.
바카라 사이트If everyone is to get good end of life care it is vital that we all learn to confront our fears about death and have opportunities to talk to one another about what we want at the end of our lives.바카라 사이트
Welcoming the announcement, David Praill, Chief Executive of Help the Hospices, said:
바카라 사이트In these challenging times, investment in hospices is vital so they can modernise and expand in order to meet the growing needs of the communities they serve.
바카라 사이트This new grant programme will make a huge difference to the quality of care that hospices provide to people with terminal and life-limiting illnesses at home and in hospices.
바카라 사이트Developing physical hospice environments as well as outreach services to support people at home will mean that that people nearing the end of life can have greater choice over where and how they are cared for, allowing them greater dignity and more independence.바카라 사이트
Barbara Gelb, Chief Executive, Together for Short Lives, said:
바카라 사이트We are delighted that England바카라 사이트s children바카라 사이트s hospice services will have the chance to benefit from this funding to enhance the lives of the thousands of children and families who need their support.
바카라 사이트We will work with the Department and the children바카라 사이트s hospices to help make sure that the money is used to make the greatest impact.바카라 사이트
Details on how and when hospices can apply for the capital grant scheme will be announced shortly.
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Notes to editors
For further information please contact the Department of Health바카라 사이트s press office on 020 7210 5317.
A total of 123 grants were awarded to 116 hospices through the 2010/11 capital grants scheme.