Hospice restructure to introduce new clinical model and adapt to ongoing impact of COVID-19

The pressure placed on St Nicholas Hospice Care by the coronavirus was unexpected and significant.  

While our ability to continue is not in imminent danger, we do need to bring forward previously planned changes to ensure the charity’s continued sustainability.

As the coronavirus is likely to have a lasting financial impact, especially on voluntary sources of income from which the Hospice raises 75% of its £6m annual total, we need to take steps to ensure the charity is in the best possible financial position.

Since March our community has been supportive and generous and we are so grateful for that, but during the pandemic, necessary restrictions stopped most of our fundraising and retail activity.

We have been able to host some fundraising efforts and reopen shops but income remains lower than normal, understandably because of the challenges and uncertainty we all continue to face.

The estimated loss of income from fundraising and retail as a consequence of COVID-19 this year (2020) is approximately £1m.

To reflect the development of a new hospice service model we had always anticipated the need to restructure the organisation, which we had expected to do over the next three years.

The impact of the coronavirus means this restructure needs to happen now, with changes implemented at a quicker pace.

There will be a proposal to reduce roles at the Hospice and formal consultation with staff began today (Monday, 12 October). Currently there are 25 roles at risk because of this restructure, but as part of the new model we are proposing to create 15 new opportunities, which affected staff will be encouraged to consider.

Although we are unable to say what the final impact on jobs will be at this time, we are committed to exploring all options and are engaging with our staff to support them and help ensure that compulsory redundancies are avoided wherever possible, including voluntary redundancy and flexible working arrangements.

The challenges we are facing are being experienced by charities up and down the country. By acting now, we believe the Hospice will be in the best possible position to continue supporting those facing dying, caring and grief for generations to come.