Agenda item

6.1

The Committee considered a report of Judith Park, Deputy Chief Executive, St Luke’s Hospice, on the St Luke’s Hospice Quality Accounts.  This provided the information on the 2012/13 Quality Priorities and set out items which were under consideration for inclusion in the 2013/14 Quality Priorities.

6.2

In attendance for this item were Judith Park, Deputy Chief Executive, St Luke’s Hospice, and Mark Harrington, Risk Management Co-ordinator, St Luke’s Hospice.

6.3

Members made various comments and asked a number of questions, to which responses were provided as follows:-

·               Funding was a major challenge for St Luke’s as it was important to ensure that it was financially sustainable.  A restructuring had put St Luke’s in a strong financial position.  The annual running costs for the Hospice to continue providing care was £4.5m, of which 31% was provided through Government funding via a contract with NHS Sheffield and the remainder via its charity fundraising activities.  In addition a £5m capital appeal was underway for the new build for the Hospice In Patient Unit and, to date, £2.4m had been raised towards this.  The Hospice had ten shops in the City, which for the past three years had won the best UK performing charity outlets ten and under, and the Hospice’s fundraising team were successful in raising funds.

·               During Phase 2 of the In Patient Unit development, capacity would be reduced to 16 beds, but on completion this would increase to the present capacity of 20 beds.  This would mean that approximately 36 patients would not be able to be admitted as in patients, but an internal coping strategy meant that the Hospice would be able care for approximately 78 patients and their families within the community during that period.

·               St Luke’s had two nurses who provided support and education to the nursing homes in the City which made referrals.  This involved work with patients, families and staff at the nursing home.

6.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)

thanks Judith Park and Mark Harrington for their contribution to the meeting;

(b)

notes the contents of the report and the responses to questions and comments; and

(c)

recognises that funding is a concern for St Luke’s Hospice and requests that a collective discussion on its funding be held by the Committee with Health and Social Care Funders.