Birmingham Hospice cuts will be ‘devastating for families’

A woman whose dying mother was cared for by a hospice said future budget cuts “will be excruciating for families”.

Ella Finnegan said the cuts meant patients would face long waiting lists and “won’t know where to get the best help for their loved ones”.

“I visited (the hospice) last week after hearing the news and I was devastated for them,” Ms Finnegan told BBC Radio WM.

Birmingham Hospice, whose services are free to patients, said it had to cut around 14% of its workforce and reduce inpatient beds from 24 to 16.

Mrs Finnegan’s mother Sybille died of cancer at the hospice in 2021.

She said the hospice, where she had a room overlooking the garden and the family dog ​​was allowed to visit, was a much-needed calm place for her mother’s final days.

“What was such a terrible time was made peaceful by the hospice,” Ms Finnegan said.

She added that her mother told her she was “pleased to be here”.

Birmingham Hospice, a charity, receives both NHS funding and public donations.

Simon Fuller, the hospice’s chief executive, said it was facing rising costs due to factors such as the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

“I wish people would come together and help keep this going,” said Lorraine, a hospice patient who is in the advanced stages of cancer.

Lorraine, an Elvis fan, added that hospice staff helped her decorate her room with her memorabilia to make it feel more like home.

“You know it’s the best thing I ever did to come here,” she said.

“They are nice people, they do everything for you.”