Facing challenges is what the team at Willen Hospice does best, and to carry on providing the same exceptional care it has for almost 45 years, a roadmap for both the immediate and long-term future has been drawn up.
Speaking about the launch of ‘Ready for Tomorrow Today’, the hospice’s new three-year strategy and a proactive response to addressing the financial pressure it faces, Chief Executive, Kate Broadhurst, said that the hospice’s running costs are around £10.1m a year; that the NHS only provides 13.8% of this total and there’s an underlying annual deficit of around £2m.
Willen is one of the most underfunded hospices in the UK and has lobbied hard to secure better funding for its vital care services from the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB), which allocates funds locally on behalf of the NHS. Kate has been meeting the ICB regularly over the last 18 months to discuss the lack of funding and the inequity affecting Willen. She’s optimistic that her case has finally been heard.
Unlike other hospices within the ICB’s remit, Willen Hospice currently receives no funding for either its Willen at Home service, which supports patients in the community, or its Palliative Care Community Hub, which offers advice to anyone locally who is affected by life-limiting illness.
Although encouraged that the ICB will agree to more fairly fund the hospice in the future, Kate said: “We cannot wait and we need to act now. Our three-year strategy is our response to the growing needs of the city and our vision to ensure that everyone who needs our care is able to receive it. Securing the future of hospice care in Milton Keynes means us as an organisation being financially sustainable and expanding access to our care, while also making Willen an exceptional place to work and volunteer.
“Ready for Tomorrow Today is a bold step forward, and one we’re proud to take with the support of our community, our partners and our people.”
The strategy sets out three key priorities that will guide the hospice’s work through to 2028:
- High-quality care for all: Willen Hospice will continue to deliver outstanding care while working to remove barriers and ensure equitable access across all communities in Milton Keynes.
- A great place to work and volunteer: with people at the heart of the organisation, the strategy emphasises a culture where staff and volunteers feel empowered, supported and inspired.
- Financial sustainability: the hospice will grow income through fundraising and retail, explore new revenue streams, and campaign for a fairer share of NHS funding – crucial steps in meeting increased demand.
Willen Hospice cares for patients across Milton Keynes and the surrounding area, regardless of financial means, background or ethnicity. Local people who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness and have complex symptoms or needs, meaning they require a specialist level of care, can ask a healthcare professional, such as their GP, to refer them to the hospice.
The hospice’s care is holistic, embracing psychological and physical wellbeing as well as social, family and financial advice and support. Patients can be given round-the-clock care at the hospice’s In-Patient Unit, or be supported where they live by Willen at Home. These expert clinical teams are specialists in palliative and end-of- life care, and are backed up by a raft of organisational staff who ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of the hospice. All of this care is provided totally free of charge.
“I believe that hospice care is an integral right,” said Kate. “And there are very few people in Milton Keynes who won’t have come into contact with Willen Hospice in some way. In devising a strategy for the future, we had to look at stability and meeting our financial needs and being visionary in how we do that. When around 86% of your funding comes from the local community, it is truly a community venture. We understand that these are difficult times for everyone and we are so grateful to our community for all they do to ensure that everyone has access to our care.
“Our retail operation is strong and we are looking to grow the number of our shops. We’re gradually opening up the Willen Hospice café to the public. We’ve also thought about using our grounds or buildings strategically for yoga retreats or wellbeing sessions. That way, while people are supporting us, they are spending their money on something they want, or an activity they want to take part in.” Milton Keynes has a fast-growing and diverse population, which will inevitably put increased pressure on a healthcare system that is already at capacity. Part of the drive for sustainability for all charities is increased collaboration; bringing services together wherever possible is another potential blueprint for the future.
“The city is becoming increasingly inclusive and supportive, and charities are looking at ways to work together to strengthen our position,” said Kate. “The warmth of the local community is always there, and whether it’s charities working together or corporate partnerships where businesses offer their time, services or unwanted items for sale, we can build that cohesiveness that gives something back and makes our future vision that bit more sustainable.”
To read the full strategy and find out how to get involved, visit the Willen Hospice website.
