Save a Precious Bed Appeal: Two specialist inpatient beds at Ashgate Hospice have been saved from closing for a further six months thanks to a huge community response to the charity’s fundraising appeal after it announced devastating cuts due to a lack of NHS funding.
In October, Ashgate became the latest hospice to reveal shocking proposals, outlining plans to reduce inpatient beds, cut staffing numbers, and scale back some of its services as part of £2.6 million savings caused by insufficient NHS support.
The North Derbyshire charity launched its Save a Precious Bed Appeal, which aimed to raise £244,000 to keep two – of nine specialist Inpatient Unit beds earmarked for closure – open for a further six months.
The target has been met in just over two weeks – securing four full-time nurse posts and three full-time healthcare assistant posts, all on fixed-term contracts.
This means the hospice will be able to care for 25 more patients who desperately need care as they near the end of their lives.
Due to a lack of funding from the NHS, the hospice will still be forced to close seven beds and 33 jobs are at risk of redundancy.
Ashgate is hoping people will continue to back the hospice’s appeal, as every £40,000 raised will keep both beds open for another month.
Jack Wood, director of income generation at Ashgate Hospice, said: “Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we have been able to protect these vital beds and posts for another six months at a time when services across the sector are under extreme pressure.
“This support means more patients can continue to receive compassionate, specialist care at the end of their lives.
“But the challenges we face are ongoing, and we’d like to keep these two beds open for even longer. Every penny raised now, will help us do that – and make sure we can continue caring for the people who need us most.”
Tracey Green’s father, John Ryan, died at the hospice in October 2022, aged 67, after a rapid and incurable diagnosis of kidney and bone cancer.
He had spent the last three years caring for his long-term partner, who had dementia, while managing his own health.
Months before his death, his condition deteriorated, and he was admitted to hospital multiple times across London and Derbyshire before being transferred to Ashgate’s Inpatient Unit.
Tracey, from Nottinghamshire, has urged the public to continue supporting Ashgate’s Save a Precious Bed Appeal.
“Dad was incredibly brave,” Tracey said. “Even in the most painful moments, he faced each day with strength and a sense of humour.
“At Ashgate, he was made comfortable from the moment he arrived. The staff helped with everything from meals to small touches that meant so much to him, like conversations about his favourite music and cars.
“The pastoral team brought light and laughter into the room and even got him a Guinness at his request, which was a lovely gesture.
“The nursing and medical teams were always attentive, keeping his pain under control and explaining everything to us in a compassionate way. They allowed him to maintain dignity and independence as much as possible.”
John, who had worked as a glass operative for more than three decades, was a devoted father and grandfather, a keen walker, DIY enthusiast, camper, and an inventive tech tinkerer.
Tracey and her sister Clare were able to spend precious time with their father, including family visits from London, in the hospice’s spacious garden and family rooms.
“The hospice allowed us to make memories we’ll never forget,” Tracey said. “We could be there 24 hours a day, and it never felt like we were imposing.
“That time we spend together was just invaluable to our family.”
Ashgate Hospice currently operates just 15 of its 21 inpatient beds, with nine more – two of which will now stay open for at least six months – set for closure due to insufficient NHS funding.
“Knowing there are so few beds left, it’s heartbreaking,” Tracey said. “Without support, families may face the impossible choice of being apart from their loved ones at the end of life.
“Every specialist bed counts. Supporting Ashgate means more families will receive the same dignity, comfort, and compassion my dad did.
“Ashgate Hospice made a difference for our family when we needed it most. Please help keep these beds open so others can experience the same care and comfort.”
You can donate to help keep two beds open for longer at Ashgate Hospice, so the charity can be there to support people at the most crucial time in their lives at www.ashgatehospice.org.uk/precious-bed
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Ashgate Hospice, based in Chesterfield, provides specialist palliative and end of life care including a wide range of community-based care and support services for people with a life-limiting illness and the people close to them in North Derbyshire.
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