Welsh Government
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Minister cuts the turf for new Newport hospice
Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford has officially broke the ground recently as building work begins on a new Newport hospice.The Welsh Government is investing £3m to expand the inpatient palliative care service for terminally-ill patients and their families.
The new £5m specialist 15-bed hospice will be run by St David’s Hospice Care, working in partnership with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and Newport City Council.
The new centre will be built next to the smaller 10-bed St Anne’s, in Blackett Avenue, in Newport and will eventually replace it.
The existing unit cares for more than 3,000 people and their families every year. Staff care for people with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, such as end-stage heart failure and motor neurone disease.
The hospice serves a population of more than 600,000 people from Newport, Caerphilly, Torfaen, Monmouthshire as well as mid and south Powys.
Professor Drakeford said:
“This investment will enable the hospice team to deliver patient and family-led services in a new, state-of-the-art facility.
“The St David’s Hospice Care team has developed a palliative care model which is recognised as an example of first-class care. When this new building is complete, it will be able to support more people who need their help at the end of their lives.”
Emma Saysell, chief executive of St David’s Hospice Care said:
“We are thrilled to be embarking on building the first purpose-built voluntary sector inpatient hospice in Wales this century. We are so grateful to Newport City Council, the Welsh Government, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and the Big Lottery for recognising and investing in our shared vision.
“Our care depends on the ongoing support from our local community and we hope they will continue to support us in the future so we can provide the very best hospice and end of life care”
Judith Paget, chief executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said:
“The health board is pleased to be working with St David’s Hospice Care on this new development, which will support it in continuing to deliver excellent patient and family-led services for those people who require it.”
Leader of Newport City Council, Councillor Bob Bright, said:
“Newport City Council has worked closely with St David’s Hospice Care and we are delighted to be able to gift the land behind St Anne’s for the work on this much needed new unit to go ahead.
“This is an important step forward for St David’s Hospice Care which is committed to ensuring patients and families have the choice about where they receive their care and this new modern unit will ease the burden for many in our community.”
Mark Bowen, managing director of Andrew Scott Ltd, said:
“This new inpatient unit will provide much needed care and we at Andrew Scott Ltd are very proud to be St David's construction partner."
