New hospice service for South Tyneside could be ready to open early next year

A planned replacement for the former St Clare’s Hospice could be ready to open in less than six months.
Services could be ready to restart from Haven Court, in South Shields, by April next year.Services could be ready to restart from Haven Court, in South Shields, by April next year.
Services could be ready to restart from Haven Court, in South Shields, by April next year.

Earlier this year (September) NHS chiefs agreed plans for a new end of life care facility in South Tyneside, which has been without a dedicated base of palliative services since the much loved institution collapsed into insolvency almost two years ago.

And they have now revealed bosses could be ready to restart provision from Haven Court, in South Shields, by April next year.

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“The model we approved in September is progressing well, [there’s been] really good clinical discussions about the nuts and bolts of it,” said Matt Brown, director of operations at South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

“I’m a bit reluctant to nail any colours to the mast, given how much things are changing with Covid, but ending any Covid issues and recruitment, we’re hoping the service will be up and running by April 2021.

“By that point we should have a really great service in place.”

Brown was speaking at ameeting of the CCG’s governing body.

Campaigners and MPs for the borough have previously opposed the plans, raising concerns about the proposed location on the South Tyneside District Hospital site, and calling for services to return to St Clare’s Hospice’s former home in Jarrow.

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NHS bosses have insisted the new ‘spoke and hub’ care model will provide a ‘homely’ setting in a ‘calm and dignified environment’, as well as help to alleviate staffing and recruitment issues which blighted the former hospice in its later years.

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