Laois Hospice urges local political backing to build Midlands Hospice

Laois Hospice has welcomed the advance to the next stage build the first hospice providing palliative care to Laois people nearing end of life. 

However political support is crucial to keep momentum going now, says Mary Delaney, chair of Laois Hospice. 

The HSE has also welcomed the advance of the project, which a palliative expert says will give a full range of services.

The 20 bed brand new Midlands Hospice, to be built beside Tullamore hospital, will serve not only Laois, but Offaly, Westmeath and Longford patients. The planning application was sent in to Offaly County Council last week.

As the wait begins for the decision, Ms Delaney spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"Laois Hospice very much welcomes the fact that the planning application stage has been reached for the Midlands In-Patient Hospice in Tullamore.

"We are very encouraged by the speed which this stage has been reached. The need for this in-patient unit has been identified for many years as there is no such facility in the midlands and this is very welcome that it is now at planning application stage," she said.

Drawing of the Midlands Hospice by Coady Architects. 

The Laois charity which pays for palliative care nurses to visit people in their homes, as well as other supports using donations by the public, wants the new hospice built without delay.

"The hope of Laois Hospice is that this project can now proceed as urgently as possible to deliver this unit in the quickest time frame possible and that there will be no delays in proceeding with this much need facility for the people of the Midlands which they deserve.

"This is an In-Patient Hospice unit for the people of the Midlands and it is imperative that all politicians support this application so that they are no delays in proceeding to the next stage of the project.

"The Midlands is the only area in the country that does not have an In-Patient Hospice unit and therefore, it must proceed with all urgency. We are asking the people of Laois to get behind highlighting the urgent need for this unit.

"As there has been substantial government funding allocated to this project Laois Hospice at this stage is not fundraising specifically for this unit at this time. Laois Hospice have not pledged funds to this project at this stage," she said.

She said that it important that Laois people know that it's not just for Offaly.

"Laois Hospice has always been very clear that this is a Midlands unit and not just Offaly. It is a unit for Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford," Ms Delaney said.

One of the biggest annual fundraisers for Laois Hospice is the Clonaslee St Stephen's Day Walk. See photos here.

Dr Pauline Kane is a Palliative Medicine Consultant for the Health Service Executive and spoke this week about it.

''The Midlands Hospice will give the specialist palliative care service the ability to provide intensive symptom support and multi-disciplinary input to patients with challenging symptoms in a more appropriate environment than an acute hospital. This is a hugely important development for our patients and their families to have this facility and we are looking forward to it becoming a reality very soon,'' she said.

The HSE says the main features of the proposed hospice will be a ''much needed'' 20 bed specialist palliative care inpatient unit, a Day Therapy Unit and an education centre.

''Because of its location and the size of the site, there will be extensive landscaping of the grounds, and each inpatient bedroom will be on the ground floor with direct access to an individual outdoor area.''

Palliative care is a form of holistic care which improves the quality of life of patients who have challenges associated with life-threatening illness, including physical, psychological, social or spiritual. While palliative care was initially available to patients with cancer, AIDS or Motor Neuron Disease, it is now available for all patients with chronic, progressive conditions with a limited prognosis, and can be accessed much earlier in a patient’s illness, rather than just in the last days of life.

'Having the Midlands Hospice will provide our local specialist palliative care teams with a full range of inpatient and day services locally. This will enable the specialist management of patients with difficult symptoms in a more appropriate environment for terminally ill patients rather than an acute hospital, without the need to attend the Emergency Department,'' Dr Kane said.

The HSE says it would like to thank the following groups (in alphabetical order): Hooves for Hospice, Irish Hospice Foundation, Laois Hospice, Longford Hospice, North Westmeath Hospice, Offaly Hospice and South Westmeath Hospice, and local public representatives who have supported the hospice plan from across the Midlands and the Department of Health.

Read more about Laois Hospice and their supports here.