East Sussex Hospice To End At-Home Care Service

A hospice in East Sussex has confirmed it will stop providing hands-on care to people in their own homes.

St Wilfrid's Hospice in Eastbourne said its domiciliary care service – which currently supports around 200 people with tasks such as cooking, cleaning and personal care – will come to an end in the coming weeks.

The charity says the decision has been driven by a growing funding shortfall, with the move expected to save around £1 million over the next five years.

A spokesperson said the changes were necessary to secure the hospice’s long-term future, describing them as “difficult but necessary”.

As part of the restructure, 15 permanent roles and 16 flexible positions are set to be cut, although the hospice says it is exploring alternative roles within the organisation for some staff.

Chief Executive Colin Twomey said he was “devastated” to be losing valued members of the team, adding that rising costs and flat funding have created ongoing financial pressure.

He said the hospice is expecting a £1.5 million loss this financial year, which can be managed in the short term through reserves but is not sustainable long term.

Despite the changes, the hospice says patients who currently receive care at home will continue to have their needs met through other providers.

Domiciliary care is commissioned by the NHS, which assesses patients and assigns care providers. St Wilfrid’s confirmed it will no longer be one of those providers going forward.