Eastbourne hospice closed to new admissions

Eastbourne’s St Wilfrid’s Hospice has temporarily closed to inpatients due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The hospice’s boss David Scott-Ralphs said in a statement yesterday (Monday) that the inpatient unit was “closed for new admissions at the present time while we support current patients and also in response to staff absences”.

He said, “We are currently at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, with increased infections across Sussex at the same time as the vaccination programme is being rolled out.

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“We are not immune from this in the hospice, despite comprehensive infection prevention and control measures being in place. The good news is that a large part of our workforce has now been vaccinated and more will be vaccinated in the coming weeks.

“The Inpatient Unit is closed for new admissions at the present time. In the community, we are currently visiting patients where this is deemed essential for pain and symptom control, otherwise we are supporting patients by telephone and video consultation. Our 24/7 Nurse Line continues to be fully available to patients, families and professionals. Our workforce is having twice weekly Covid tests.

“Our counselling team offers pre and post-bereavement counselling support to the wider community, not just those who we have been supporting through hospice care. We also continue to take referrals for bereavement counselling for children and young people via our Seahorse Project. For the time being we have had to move all counselling support to telephone or video links.

“We continue to expand our team of community support volunteers, who offer befriending and other social support to patients in the community. This is currently being carried out by telephone/video. We are seeing increasing demand in this area and if you would be interested to support this aspect of our work, or to volunteer in other ways, please contact our Voluntary Services team at [email protected]

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Mr Scott-Ralphs also said that visiting the hospice was restricted to all but essential visitors and that almost all non-clinical staff and some doing clinical roles are working from home wherever possible.

He said, “In our Inpatient Unit, visiting is restricted to close family of patients who are deteriorating or dying and by arrangement with our nursing team. We are asking all visitors to have a Covid test each time they visit and to comply with the infection control measures we have in place, including the wearing of PPE at all times.

“Hospice staff have been included in the prioritisation of health and care workers for the Covid vaccine.

More than 140 members of the hospice workforce have been vaccinated in recent days and many more are booked in to be vaccinated in the coming weeks. This programme includes any volunteer in a patient-facing role.”

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