Hospices across the UK are having to make difficult decisions. Rowans Hospice is one of them.
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In July 2024 Rowans had a deficit of £1.5m. They closed 6 IPU beds and are now operating with 16, along with making 30 staff from the Hospice at Home and business support teams redundant. Following this they undertook a redesign of Hospice at Home and now are focussed on the last few weeks of life, rather than 6-8 weeks. This has streamlined the model, but has not affected number of patients cared for, in fact, quite the opposite. They also undertook a complete review of all operations closed our on-site Café and revised the availability of catering for both patients and families.
Rowans has also entered into a collaborative partnership with St. Michael’s in Basingstoke to share resources and reduce costs further. The CEO undertook a concentrated campaign on the local ICB to achieve a fair funding formula across Hampshire, engaging with MPs, which was successful in securing a significant uplift and NHS-style contract.
