Since the launch of its strategic plan in 2018, Rowcroft Hospice has received invaluable support from the local community to deliver on its vision to make every day the best day possible for more patients, and their families, living with life limiting illnesses. This has included investment in more nurses and healthcare teams, new beds, a new spiritual space, music therapy and expansion of its specialist care at home with Rowcroft’s hospice at home service.
As outlined in the plan, Rowcroft now wishes to enhance its care even further with a refurbishment of its Inpatient Unit. Improving the facilities will ensure the hospice can continue to meet the changing needs and expectations of its patients and families in the years to come.
Through the refurbishment, the hospice hopes to explore increasing the number of beds to help further support the local, ageing population and meet future demand. It wants to give patients and their families even greater independence and choice during those vital moments together, as well as enhance the level of care to ensure that their physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual needs are being met. Enabling family and friends to stay overnight to be near their loved ones is an important part of this.
Mark Hawkins, CEO of Rowcroft Hospice said: “The buildings at the Inpatient Unit have remained largely unchanged over the last four decades. The focus of the redevelopment will be to create a space that gives families as much time as possible with their loved ones, in the best possible surroundings.
“We also want to enhance our wonderful grounds and gardens, which have such a powerful effect on everyone who comes to Rowcroft, and minimise our impact on the planet. Our vision is to ensure we create an environment that supports the delivery of expert care, whilst creating a place that looks and feels like home.”
The Rowcroft team are also exploring if there is a requirement for a specialist nursing home in the community. As the population in England ages, and more specialist care becomes the norm, capacity needs to expand significantly. This has been evidenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, where the lack of domiciliary and social care has severely impacted critical health provision.
Torbay, in particular, has an aging population, and the number of people over the age of 85 is predicted to grow by 50% within the next ten years. In the Torbay Strategy for Housing in Later Life, it is estimated that by 2035, the area will have a 370 shortfall in nursing beds.
Mark continued: “At Rowcroft we believe that specialist, quality care should be available to everyone who has been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. Our aim is to enable more people in our community to benefit from our services, whether as a patient at end of life needing our care or a family member needing our support. The demand for complex care is growing and we want to meet that need head on.
“The pandemic has been an incredibly challenging time for all and yet now is the time to explore how we can enhance and extend what we do. We are incredibly proud to care for our community and want that to include everyone who needs us, irrespective of diagnosis, circumstance or background.”
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