Action 4 Whipps

 

Action4Whipps Updates

It was reported to the last meeting of A4W that the Margaret Centre, the hospice run by Barts as part of Whipps Cross hospital, is not ring fenced and could be replaced by 6 dedicated beds in the new hospital. This makes no sense as the Margaret Centre, currently 11 beds,  is a separate building away from the noise and disturbance of the main hospital, which provides a tranquil location for palliative care and end of life care.

Barts' argument is people want to remain in their homes at the end of their lives. True that may well be but it is often not practical. If the dying person lives on their own or their partner is too frail to cope a hospice is a vital alternative. I have known 3 people whose lives ended at the Margaret Centre and they had the most wonderful care and as good an end as they could wish for. Our neighbour, a person living on their own in a small bed sit flat, ended his days in St Jospeh's as it was not practical to nurse him in the confined space of the upstairs flat.

If Barts will not continue to support the hospice then they should allocate sufficient land on the Whipps site so that a new hospice can be built and terminal care provided in a pleasant well staffed environment.

Come and join the group to ensure the Whipps Cross Hospital site is developed to meet the needs of residents rather than to satisfy the needs of the financiers.

whipps.cross.campaign@gmail.com