Hospice services in Worthing under review amid £3.7m deficit

Hospice services in Worthing are under review after Southern Hospice Group announced a £3.7 million financial deficit and launched a formal consultation with clinical staff.

The charity which operates St Barnabas House in Worthing alongside Chestnut Tree House near Arundel and the Martlets in Hove said changes are needed to secure the long term future of specialist end of life care across east and west Sussex and south east Hampshire.

The group costs £34 million a year to run and receives just 14 per cent of its income from NHS funding with the remainder coming from fundraising and donations.

Southern Hospice Group said the deficit is the result of increased demand for services rising costs and funding that has not kept pace with inflation. Proposals are expected to focus on reducing some services while maintaining specialist clinical care for patients and there are no plans to close any of the hospices with a final outcome expected by the end of March.