Staffordshire hospice announces significant redundancies due to cost pressures
St Giles Hospice in Lichfield says the decision to start a redundancy process has been very difficult
A hospice in Staffordshire which has providing end of life care to patients from across the West Midlands has announced it's cutting jobs.
St Giles in Lichfield hasn't confirmed how many positions are at risk - but it says there will be 'significant redundancies'.
The charity says the very difficult decision's down to pressures from high running costs.
St Giles Hospice statement
We're devastated to announce that St Giles Hospice is proposing to make significant redundancies, as we face unsustainable rising costs and an urgent need to reduce our £1.5 million annual budget deficit.
Across the UK, hospices are facing a financial crisis. The last few years have seen big increases in our costs, including the price paid for energy, food and clinical supplies as well as a real terms reduction in income received from the NHS.
We're not the first hospice to announce redundancies, and sadly, it's likely we won't be the last. Whilst this decision has been very difficult to make, the long-term future of St Giles is at its heart. We cannot continue as we are - or St Giles Hospice would cease to exist.
We recognise that this is a period of uncertainty for our workforce and the wellbeing of our staff, volunteers, patients, and loved ones is paramount. We remain fully committed to providing outstanding end of life care to local people, and their loved ones, where and when they need it.