Hospice to restructure due to financial pressures

A hospice in Leicester has announced plans to restructure its services as it faces a "perfect storm" of financial challenges and increasing patient demand.

Rising costs and a reduction in income from wills has led to Leicestershire and Rutland Organisation for the Relief of Suffering (LOROS) launching a consultation to "secure the long-term future" of the charity.

Officials at the charity declined to comment on whether redundancies would be made through the consultation process.

A spokesperson said: "It is a decision we wish we didn't have to make, but sadly it is now unavoidable to ensure LOROS can continue to care for patients and their families."

The hospice, based near Glenfield Hospital, welcomed its first patient in 1985 following eight years of fundraising.

It has since expanded to include end-of-life care in patients' homes along with various therapies.

According to LOROS, it costs £932 per hour to run the charity, with about 20% of its funding coming from the NHS.

This means it needs to fundraise £9m each year to continue running.

The government had recently given a capital grant to struggling hospices, which it said was "the biggest investment in a generation" and would go towards improving buildings, equipment and accommodation.

A LOROS spokesperson said: "Recent government funding announcements are welcome but come with restrictions which mean funds cannot be used to pay hospice staff salaries.

"As a result LOROS is beginning a period of consultation with colleagues as we implement a plan to secure the long-term future of our well-loved charity.

"We know that this announcement will be unsettling for many people.

"It is a decision we wish we didn't have to make, but sadly it is now unavoidable to ensure LOROS can continue to care for patients and their families."

Bec Mills, from Enderby, has been at the hospice for the past few weeks following a cancer diagnosis in October.

The 48-year-old was able to marry her partner Nick Cooper at LOROS on Thursday after staff rallied round to accommodate the ceremony.

She said: "I understand the state of the world, money is tight, but for me to get this treatment was magical and unbelievable.

"It calmed me down. You just forget why you're here."

Mr Cooper said: "The staff make the place, it's just absolutely amazing.

"We're blown away. It feels like a private hospital that we can't afford that some angel has given us."

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