New and enhanced nursing services for those with life-limiting illnesses will launch at Ottery Hospital after a £50,000 donation.
Hospiscare will launch a new nurse-led clinic for Ottery and the surrounding area following funding from Ottery St Mary & District League of Friends.
The new clinics will allow for easier access to support for more Hospiscare patients and carers in the local area.
The funding will enable the provision of an extra 30 hours of community nursing in people’s homes.
Members of the healthcare community will attend a launch event on Tuesday (January 8).
Adrian Rutter, chairman of Ottery St Mary & District League of Friends, said: “When we asked the GPs of Coleridge Medical Centre what they saw as the health care priorities for the people of our town and villages, their answer was quick and clear – dementia care and support, children and young people’s mental health, and end of life care.
“So when we looked at how we could support end of life care, the choice was easy.
“We’re delighted to partner with Hospiscare and fund an additional clinical nurse specialist to work out of our modern, convenient hospital and add to the already wide range of excellent and essential medical services based there.”
Peter Brennan, Hospiscare’s CEO, said: “Hospiscare is reliant on funds from the community, organisations like the League and gifts in wills to make our work possible.
“I am excited to start my role as Hospiscare’s new CEO this month and developing our support closer to, and at home, for people and their families living with a terminal condition will be one of my main priorities going forward.”
The charity hopes the funding will enable its nurses to work more closely with the hospital’s Rowan Ward to support palliative and end of life care for dementia patients and their families.
A Hospiscare spokesman told the Herald: “The whole community benefits, particularly with the rise in numbers of Devon’s ageing population, as more health care assistants become equipped to support local people diagnosed with a terminal illness.”
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