Hospice neighbours join forces to aid building work

Categories: Care.

The children’s hospice will shortly launch its ambitious refurbishment programme to transform the care facilities for children and young adults with a life-limiting condition. Whilst building works are carried out to enlarge bedrooms and bring equipment up to the latest standards, the eight-bedded unit in Beckton, east London, needs to close.

The two hospices already work closely together on several initiatives, including their transition programme, which supports young adults as they make the move from the support of a children’s hospice to adult services.

Peter Ellis, Chief Executive of Richard House, said: “We are very grateful to our friends at St Joseph’s Hospice, who have loaned us a fantastic space from which to deliver care and support to families from around London. We have a strong partnership so this feels like a natural progression that will help us to strengthen our joint work for people of all ages who have life-limiting conditions, in east London and beyond.”

Michael Kerin, CEO of St Joseph’s Hospice, added: “We are delighted to be able to offer Richard House a dedicated area in our building for the children and young people who need specialist care. This time under one roof will help both hospices to work even more closely together – to better understand the needs of young adults in particular and to improve the care and support we can give together to teenagers and young adults at a difficult time in their and their families’ lives.”

A whole wing at St Joseph’s – which provides care for adults – has been adapted to cater for the needs and specialist equipment required by the children and adolescents from Richard House. The building work at Richard House will start within the next two months and is expected to last for a further six.

Children and young people from Richard House arrived at St Joseph’s Hospice this week. Jon Wheater, Director of Family and Care Services at Richard House, said “It’s great we’re able to continue to provide our high quality family based care while at St Joseph’s. It’s fantastic we’ve been able to come here and care staff look forward  to learning lots more about the services we can provide together for children, young people and their families who need it.”

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