A hospice in Leicestershire is making significant reductions in patient services to address a £2m funding shortfall. LOROS Hospice, a vital community resource, has announced cuts to inpatient beds, day therapy, and a range of other patient support services.
The charity has cited rising operational costs, decreased income, and increased demand due to an ageing population as contributing factors to the financial strain. As part of the adjustments, the number of inpatient beds will be reduced from 31 to 20, and day therapy services will experience a 25% cut. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, chaplaincy, and complementary therapies will also see reductions of up to 50%. Additionally, the volunteer home visiting service will be discontinued.
LOROS estimates that 69 jobs could be affected, although the final count may fluctuate due to reduced hours and staff transitioning into NHS roles.
The hospice, which operates on a budget of approximately £932 per hour, relies heavily on fundraising, with only 20% of its funding provided by the NHS. The charity needs to raise £9m annually to maintain operations. In response to the financial challenges, LOROS has ramped up its summer fundraising activities, including the “Stomp Round Leicester” art trail.
Despite these challenges, LOROS has pledged to continue offering high-quality care, ensuring that the services that remain will still support the needs of the community.
