Six-bed extension opens at Galway Hospice

A six-bedroom extension to Galway Hospice has been officially opened, bringing the total number of beds at the palliative care facility to 18.

The expansion comes at a time of unprecedented demand for hospice services – the facility was full to capacity as soon as the beds were opened.

The extension opened to this public on January 25, and was officially launched this week by Frank Fahy, Mayor of Galway, and Pete Roche, Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council.

The next step of the expansion of services will be the roll-out of additional Day Care services, and there has already been an increase in Home Care Clinical Nurse Specialists so that more patients can be cared-for in their own homes.

Chief Executive Mary Nash praised the public for their support since the inception of the hospice, but pointed out that it continues to require €1.8m in funding each year for existing services.

“The people of Galway have been phenomenal in their support of Galway Hospice, support that not alone built Galway Hospice, but fully-funded the Home Care and Day Care services since their inception.

“The HSE has agreed to meet the full running costs of the additional services, a decision that was immensely important in enabling Galway Hospice to proceed with funding these capital improvements.

“This does not relieve Galway Hospice of the continuing requirement to raise €1.8 million each year towards funding existing services, but it is hugely welcomed as it enables us to significantly address the unrelenting demand that currently exists for hospice services within our community.”

She said the new bedrooms are the first increase in bed numbers since the hospice opened its doors to inpatients in December 1997.

“It comes at a time of unprecedented demand for hospice services. As soon as the new facilities opened in late January 2016, the new extension was immediately full to capacity, such has been the waiting list for these services.

“The physical environment at Galway Hospice has also changed, with a new signalled entrance from the Dublin Road, the provision of 25 additional parking spaces, the reconfiguration of the gardens, and the provision of a new enclosed sensory garden especially for Day Care patients,” said Ms Nash.

She said Home Care services remain at the heart of their specialist palliative care provision.

“In 2015, the Home Care team cared-for 642 patients in the home, through 6,325 home visits.  2015 was also a very busy year for the Inpatient Unit, with 291 admissions resulting in a bed occupancy of 92%, and an average length of stay of 13 days.

“These have been the highest levels of service ever provided by Galway Hospice, responding to the unrelenting demand for these services. Now that more inpatient beds and additional Home Care staffing have been put in place, 2016 will undoubtedly be another record-breaking year for the services, but – more importantly – a year in which the services can better meet the need for hospice/palliative care services within our community.

“Galway Hospice continues to receive an increasing number on non-cancer referrals to its services. In 2015, 28% of new patients taken on by the Home Care service had a non-cancer diagnosis, with 14% of patients admitted to the specialist Inpatient Unit having a non-cancer diagnosis.

“The extension of palliative care services to patients with a non-cancer diagnosis is following a similar pattern nationwide, and will continue to be a very valuable support to these patients for whom palliative care has proven to be very beneficial in addressing their symptom and care management,” said Ms Nash.