Important Update on Hospice Services Across Southern Hospice Group

Southern Hospice Group has recently completed a review of its clinical services to help ensure hospice care can continue long‑term for people with the most complex needs.

These decisions have not been easy. Our priority remains caring for patients and families who need specialist palliative and end‑of‑life care, while making necessary changes to stay financially sustainable.

Below is a summary of what is changing and what support will still be available.

Why are changes being made?

Like many healthcare organisations, hospices are facing rising costs and financial pressures. This review focused on:

• Making sure patients with the most complex needs continue to receive specialist hospice care
• Reducing duplication across services
• Ensuring fair access to hospice services across different areas
• Working more closely with NHS and community services

As a result, Southern Hospice Group has reduced its clinical workforce, which means some services will change, reduce or stop.

Changes to Services

St Barnabas House

The following services will no longer be provided:

• Hospice at Home – domiciliary care funded through Fast Track Continuing Healthcare
  Patients affected have already been supported, and alternative care providers have been arranged.
  Specialist Hospice at Home nursing will continue, but night services have stopped.
• Living Well Service
  This included early support clinics, wellbeing education and group sessions for people with lower‑level needs.
  Existing patients have completed their programmes, and new referrals have now stopped.
  An online Living Well resource is being explored for future support and signposting.
• Condition‑specific services for heart failure and chronic respiratory disease
  Care is moving from a diagnosis‑based approach to a needs‑based approach.
  Patients have been reviewed and will either continue with the Community Palliative Care Team or be supported by their GP and NHS specialist teams.
• Community Companions volunteer service
  Volunteers and patients have been informed and signposted to other sources of support where possible.
• Complementary therapy
  This service is not currently available.

Martlets

The following services will no longer be provided:

• Wellbeing groups for patients with low complexity needs
  An online Living Well resource is being explored.
• Compassionate Neighbours programme
  Volunteers and patients have been informed and supported with alternative options.
• Domiciliary care night sits

Chestnut Tree House

• Respite care at home will stop
• In‑house respite care will continue
• Support for children and families at the end of life will increase, with an expansion of the consultant‑led COAST service

What Services Are Continuing?

Southern Hospice Group will continue to provide specialist palliative care for people whose needs cannot be met by their GP or community nursing team alone.

This includes support for:

• Complex or difficult‑to‑manage symptoms
• Specialist advice and treatment
• Advance care planning and decision‑making
• Support during the final stages of life
• Young people transitioning from children’s to adult services

Inpatient and Community Care

There are no planned changes to inpatient bed numbers:

• St Barnabas House:
  • 8 specialist inpatient beds
  • 4 Fast Track Continuing Healthcare beds
• Martlets:
  • 8 specialist inpatient beds
  • 6 Fast Track Continuing Healthcare beds

Admissions will continue to be prioritised based on how urgent and complex a person’s needs are.

Hospice at Home nursing teams will continue to support patients who are:

• Actively dying
• Experiencing unstable or rapidly changing symptoms

What Happens Next?

Now that the consultation has ended, Southern Hospice Group is focusing on reshaping services to match the available workforce.

We will continue to:

• Accept referrals for patients with specialist palliative care needs
• Offer advice and guidance to healthcare professionals when hospice care is not required
• Work closely with NHS and community teams to make sure patients receive the right care, in the right place

Further updates will be shared as service changes develop.

If you have questions about how these changes may affect you or your family, please speak to your healthcare professional or hospice team.

We thank our patients, families and communities for their understanding and support.

 

Published: Apr 27, 2026