Spring 2015 A new contract and a new way forward for Hospice at Home The New Year began with a shock for the Support Lead, prepared a paper outlining the contract from 1 April to provide the care so Hospice. We were informed that our contract way Hospice at Home currently works and urgently needed. with Social Services that has supported Hospice with some thoughts about the future. A group Chairman Geoff Summers said: “It’s been at Home for several years, was not going was formed with Marion, Chris Durkin, vice good work by everyone involved, a real team to be carried forward this year and that the chairman, and Brian Topping, a trustee with a effort. The new contract is for a year and that Hospice would have to tender for a contract background in contracting and procurement gives us time to plan for the future and look at along with other local hospices. work, and they liaised with the staff who provide the service we need to provide. the hands-on care. Everyone at the Hospice agreed that Hospice “The Hospice at Home service costs the at Home is an essential part of the service Together they produced a tender that has Hospice much more than the grant provides, we provide and that we needed to tender been accepted by Social Services and the but the Social Services money has always and win the contract. Marion McCall, Family Hospice has now been awarded a 12-month been a really useful contribution to our costs.” Sean Ruane with 150 children from Rossendale Valley school choirs, pictured together at Blackburn Cathedral. Voices touched the hearts of over 400 people who attended a memorable evening in the Hearts and voices in harmony beautiful setting of Blackburn Cathedral and Tenor Seàn and Chant Productions have The Hospice is grateful to Seàn, the Scout Band, raised £4,700 for the Hospice in February. been working closely with the school choirs to and all the school choirs; also to our corporate produce the ‘Hearts & Voices’ concert with sponsors - Wynsors Shoes, Woodcocks Haworth The audience was treated to performances companies across the Valley giving their support. & Nuttall, Cassons, Fred Hamers Funeral by international opera star, Seàn Ruane and Services, Musbury Fabrics and Riley’s 150 children from the Valley’s school choirs. This event was a first for the Hospice but it Butchers. Together they made the evening They were accompanied by pianist Samuel won’t be the last. It brought everyone together possible. Special thanks also go to HD Signs, Hudson, musical director at the Cathedral, and created a phenomenal concert. The CFH design and all our volunteers. and the 2nd Rossendale Scout Band who have atmosphere was emotional, exhilarating and also performed in front of Her Majesty the Queen. enjoyed by a wide audience. To be involved in next year’s concert please contact [email protected] Printing sponsored by Hudson and Pearson Print t: 01706 253633 @RossHospice We now have over 3000 friends on facebook www.facebook.com/rossendale.hospice Spring is a time for change and a time for hope Judging from my gas bill, careful thought as to how best we can organise all have the support they need to enable better weather is on the our Hospice at Home service in the years them to stay in the comfort of their own way and I am certainly ahead so that we can continue to meet the home. It’s joined up health, social services looking forward to Spring, needs of those patients who need our support. and community care. It’s a very sensible ap- with sunny days and proach and increasingly successful and our warmer temperatures and I attended the Hearts and Voice event on 13 thanks go to the local Clinical Commission the spurt of colour and February at Blackburn Cathedral. What a Group for securing the funds for us to move new growth in the garden. super venue and what a splendid occasion! forward. I was there recently looking up at a certain Everything went to plan and I could tell that eclipse of the sun and saw a happy, smiley all the participants – especially the children Finally can I welcome two new trustees – face peering back at me. That put me in – and the spectators really enjoyed a mag- Charlotte Lees and Ann Gallagher. You can good heart to press on with a few outstanding nificent evening of singing and music. read more about them elsewhere in the tasks – including writing this note for the Thanks in particular go to Sean Ruane, who newsletter, but I would like to say how im- newsletter. dedicated so much time and effort to offer pressed I am both with their skills and their tuition to the children beforehand and who enthusiasm and I am confident that they will add Over the past few months much has happened. compered the event on the night. You know much to the quality of the Board’s decision You will read elsewhere about the retendering a function has gone well when people insist making. exercise we have had to go through with Social that it is repeated. It did and we certainly Services for our Hospice at Home contract. hope to! Best wishes for the coming months and let Fortunately we have been successful, and us hope that the smiley face up in the sky I was so impressed with the enthusiastic Our Specialist Nurse programme is making continues to look down kindly on us all. contribution of staff and trustees who got in- very good progress. We now have more Geoff Summers, volved at very short notice and worked hard staff in post and the benefits are showing. Chairman. to put forward a terrific bid. I suppose it’s a Our two specialist nurses and their team sign of the times that we can take nothing work with elderly people in the community for granted for the future, so we will be giving and liaise with other agencies to ensure that Hospice wake-up call for the government In a report published in March, MPs have In its report, the committee outlines its concerns partnership between hospices and the wider called on the government to address funding around the “unacceptable levels of variation” care system” for the hospice sector, ensure round-the- in the care that people receive at the end of The hospice and palliative care sector has clock access to specialist palliative care and life, in both acute and community settings. welcomed the report and called on the next make social care free at the end of life. government to implement the committee’s “The NHS was set up to care for people from Highlights recommendations. cradle to grave, but ... despite some excellent The committee also highlights the inequity in Geoffrey Summers, Chairman of Rossendale care ... the system is still too often failing access for people with a non-cancer diagnosis, Hospice says: “We welcome the committee’s people as they reach the end of their lives.” older people and those with dementia. In recommendation that hospices are given The Health Select Committee has been addition, the report highlights how round- adequate recognition for the care that we investigating how different care sectors the-clock access to specialist palliative care provide, as well as reliable funding in order to support people who are likely to die within in both acute and community settings would continue our vital work. It’s time for a new 12 months, and identifying opportunities for greatly improve the way that people with life- and sustainable partnership between hospices improving the quality of care and experience limiting conditions and their families and and the wider care system. The next govern- of patients and carers. carers are treated. ment should act on the recommendations One of their key recommendations is that Chair of the Committee, Dr Sarah Wollaston and observations in the committee’s report sustainable, long-term funding for the hospice MP, said: “The care that people receive at and work more closely with our country’s sector needs to be addressed as part of the end of their lives has a profound impact hospice movement to deliver better care for the government’s response to the Palliative not only upon them but also upon their families all at the end of life.” Care Funding Review. and carers…..It’s time for a new, sustainable Proud moment for Christine Training in end-of-life skills continues with 28 care homes in Rossendale now accredited and approximately 175 staff trained. Hospice staff are now accessing the training and on Wednesday March 4 a presentation was held at the Hospice when four care homes and Rossendale Hospice received accreditation. This was a proud moment for Christine Durkin, six steps facilitator, as the first two members of staff from the Hospice received their certificates. Sam Cannon, Geoff Summers, Christine Durkin and Beck Thorpe at the presentation evening. t: 01706 253633 www.rossendalehospice.org Spring is a time for change and a time for hope 15 amazing years for the Two new Trustees Special Events Committee for the Hospice The Committee organises three main events Belinda said “The ladies come from all walks Two new Trustees have joined the Hospice a year, the annual ball which has grown to of life, we have a mixture of business women board this year. become Rossendale’s premier night out and ladies who are retired but they all want to which this year is on 19th September at the give something back to the community.