Page 9 - Ashgate Hospicecare News: December 2019

Chief Executive Barbara-Anne Walker explains the work that is underway to make sure that Ashgate Hospicecare will be Here for the Future.
“The beautiful new individual rooms we hope, with public support, to be able to open at the hospice soon are one example of how we are adapting and changing to meet the needs of our local community. At Ashgate, we always need to be planning for the future. We can never stand still.
I am hugely proud of all of the work that we do and our vital role
in North Derbyshire. As Chief Executive of Ashgate Hospicecare, an important part of my job is making sure we are able to continue
to care for the people and families who need us and that is exactly what our Here for the Future programme is all about. I want to make sure Ashgate is here for future generations and continues to provide the best possible palliative care for people with complex end of
life needs. We have started looking at every aspect of the hospice - including how we cope with rising demand and more complex patient needs as people live longer with more complicated conditions.
We have to do this now because the demands upon us are so great. Referrals to Ashgate have doubled since 2014 but our income from the NHS has stayed the same. That means we are hugely – and increasingly - reliant on the goodwill of our local community who provide the vast majority of our income. We have to adapt and change to make sure all the money that is raised for us is spent as effectively as possible and making the biggest difference for our patients.
We’ve asked all our staff and volunteers to get involved in Here
for the Future and tell us their ideas, and we’d love to hear from members of the community too. You can get in touch by emailing hereforthefuture@ashgatehospicecare.org.uk or find out more at our website www.ashgatehospicecare.org.uk.
By working together, we will make sure Ashgate is not just here for the next 12 months or the next five years but for the next ten years... and then on to Ashgate’s 50th and 60th anniversaries. With your support, we will ensure the future of our wonderful hospice for future generations.”
Ashgate Hospicecare Chief Executive Barbara-Anne Walker is encouraging members of the community to help shape its plans for the future.
9