Ashgate Hospicecare takes steps to keep end of life patients safe from coronavirus
Ashgate Hospicecare is implementing precautionary measures to reduce the risk of coronavirus to its end of life patients, staff, volunteers and the wider community.
Ashgate Hospicecare is enabling most of the hospice’s non-clinical staff to work remotely and stopping any non-essential visitors from coming to the hospice at Old Brampton.
Services at the hospice will continue to be delivered to ensure the hospice is providing vital care for patients across North Derbyshire. Ashgate is introducing an increase in telephone consultation for patients in the community where this is appropriate and possible.
Ashgate Hospicecare shops and coffee shops will continue to operate as normal. However, opening and closing times of all shops will be adjusted by half an hour to allow for time to deep clean.
Family members and friends of loved ones who are visiting the hospice’s inpatient units will be asked at reception about places they have visited recently and if they are showing signs of illness, and are also being reminded not to come to the hospice if they are feeling unwell.
Barbara-Anne Walker, Chief Executive at Ashgate Hospicecare, said: “Our priority here at Ashgate Hospicecare is to ensure that our end of life patients are receiving the best possible care and that we are doing everything we can to reduce the risk of our patients, as well as our staff, volunteers and the wider community contracting coronavirus.
“It is important that we take all reasonable steps to protect those using our services, as well as those working and volunteering for the hospice. We have now moved many of our non-clinical staff off-site and are enabling them to work remotely from home. We are introducing change in a measured and proportionate way – for example we are gradually increasing our use of telephone visits rather than face to face visits in the community.
“We would ask that the community keeps fundraising for us and supporting us through the coming weeks and months. We rely on our community to help us raise almost 75% of our funds which enables us to provide vital care to those who need us the most.”
For further information on Coronavirus, please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public (opens in new tab).
For more information about Ashgate Hospicecare and how you can continue to support your local hospice as well as regular updates about how the hospice is dealing with the coronavirus, please visit www.ashgatehospicecare.org.uk or follow them on social media.
