Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle has been given £133,388 by the Government as part of the End of Life care strategy.

Speaking from Nelson, local MP, Gordon Prentice, said: “This is splendid news which really will make a difference. The money comes on top of an earlier grant of £95,000 a few years ago.”

The MP added: “Pendle Hospice Chief Executive, Brian Hartup, tells me the grant will allow them to carry out a series of improvements. The kitchen will be gutted and re-equipped. Ten inpatient bedrooms will have new furniture. And other facilities such as the conservatory will be upgraded.”

The Minister, Phil Hope, told the Pendle MP that £40m was made available through a competitive scheme, run on the Government’s behalf by  Help the Hospices.

The Minister told the Pendle MP: “We received 153 applications with a total value of £67.5 million.  Help the Hospices collated the bids and convened an expert panel to consider the applications and to make recommendations to the Department. Officials considered those recommendations before making final recommendations to Ministers.”

The Minister explained: “Hospices were invited to submit projects which would deliver tangible physical improvements in their care environments, and show how this would contribute to improved care provision.  This covered a wide range of possibilities, including traditional areas for improvement, such as the conversion of multi-bed bays to single rooms and improvements to bathing facilities, to other areas such as landscaping of gardens, redesign of mortuary and viewing room areas, and investment in outpatient and day therapy areas.

Gordon Prentice added: “All in all, it is marvellous news.”

Note to Editor. The letter from the Minister, Phil Hope, is attached.