In March 2023, St Elizabeth Hospice and East Coast Hospice merged, with the shared ambition to grow palliative care services in Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
At that time, we committed to conduct a feasibility study into the viability of building hospice facilities on the land in Gorleston that had been previously acquired by East Coast Hospice charity. We have spent the past year consulting with wide range of stakeholders and exploring options to achieve the best sustainable solution for the local population.
Hospice care has changed considerably in recent years, with the majority of support now delivered in people’s usual place of residence. While we already provide specialist palliative care to six beds at Beccles Hospital and in people’s homes, it is clear additional hospice facilities are still needed – particularly north of Lowestoft.
Our goal remains to ensure that any facilities built can be maintained on a long-term basis, as charitable fundraising and statutory commissioning will always be under pressure, and our vision has to be realistic and affordable.
Having spent the last 12 months undertaking the feasibility study, the hospice Board is committed to the vision of building hospice care facilities in Great Yarmouth and Waveney, following a phased approach as funds and service commissioning allows.
Most hospices in the UK have grown in stages and this will be the same to ensure long-term viability. As with hospice developments elsewhere, the future commissioning of services will be pivotal to the speed of our progress as it will not be possible to rely on charitable generosity alone.
We have invited expressions of interest from three architect firms we have shortlisted with a view to selecting one to help us develop and share plans for the vision of a modular, phased hospice facility that will grow over the coming years as funding allows. This will enable us to provide a long-term base for hospice care for the local community.
The Gorleston site is larger than required for our own building needs (7.54 acres). We are in positive talks with potential partners who may also be interested in sharing the site to improve local services for the community, which would help with the overall long-term viability of the site.
There will be external factors that we have limited control over, such as planning considerations, connecting to the power grid, etc. However, we will work carefully with all stakeholders to give this incredibly important project the best possible chance of success.
St Elizabeth Hospice has been providing specialist palliative care services in Great Yarmouth and Waveney since April 2019, giving care and support to almost 5,000 patients and families. Working in partnership with East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH), we have teams of medical consultants, doctors, nurses, therapists and counsellors.
We currently deliver services across the community in people’s homes and from Beccles Hospital, James Paget University Hospitals, Martham Medical Centre, the Pear Tree Centre and the Louise Hamilton Centre.
We remain determined to improve palliative and end-of-life care provision across Great Yarmouth and Waveney, working to further what the East Coast Hospice charity started. We are pleased to be entering preparations for a phased build of a new facility to provide care and support to meet the current and anticipated future community needs.
Judi Newman, CEO at St Elizabeth Hospice
April 2024
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