Site identified for the Kilbryde Hospice

Jan 13 2010 by Lynda Nicol, East Kilbride News

SUB-ZERO temperatures there may have been but for supporters of the Kilbryde Hospice a short ceremony on Friday proved a heart-warming occasion.

For the long-awaited event marked the formal identification of a two-acre site at Hairmyres Hospital for the building of a six-bed Kilbryde Hospice.

The site, on the east side of the hospital, was approved by the NHS Board at its December meeting.

Its approval marks an historic first step towards creating new palliative care beds for people who are facing end-of-life illness.

Only a small but celebratory delegation braved the fog and bitter winter temperatures for a photograph to be taken to mark this very special occasion.

They included Kilbryde Hospice Appeal chairman Tony McGuinness, his wife, Gretta, local MP Adam Ingram, MSP Andy Kerr, Kilbryde Hospice mega sponsor Lynn Mortimer, her sister and Kilbryde Hospice director Donna Bannatyne, and NHS Lanarkshire chief executive Tim Davison.

And their smiles said it all.

Following the short ceremony, a delighted Tony told the News: “This is an historic moment for the Kilbryde Hospice Appeal. It is the first step towards the creation of a hospice within South Lanarkshire.

“It is a real red letter day and I would like to take the opportunity of thanking our volunteers and sponsors for all their support.

"As we enter this exciting new phase in our development I would ask for your continued support in the challenges ahead as we turn our dream into a reality."

His sentiments were echoed by hospice patron local MP Adam Ingram.

He said: “It was a cold day for such an important launch but this will warm the hearts of the people of Lanarkshire.

“We have achieved a lot in a relatively short time and it is all down to people like Tony McGuinness. I pay tribute to each and every one of them.

“It will not be long before we reach the ultimate end and work begins on the building of the hospice.”

MSP Andy Kerr, another hospice patron, added: “This is a very big moment for the hospice movement in South Lanarkshire and I congratulate everyone involved in making this very big step forward. Like everyone else I am looking forward to the day the hospice opens.”

Ken Corsar, chairman of NHS Lanarkshire said: “We are delighted to be working with the Kilbryde Hospice Appeal to develop new palliative care services. Together we can make a real difference to the quality of life for people facing life-threatening and end-of-life illness.

“The Red Deer Drop-In Centre has been a real success story since opening in 2008. Now, the identification of land at Hairmyres for a new hospice building marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for palliative care services in the area.”

The Kilbryde Hospice Appeal is working with NHS Lanarkshire on a business case for the development of palliative care services, which it is intended will eventually be provided at the new hospice building.

Formal approval to lease the land to the Kilbryde Hospice Appeal will be sought from the NHS Lanarkshire Board as part of the approval process.

Following approval of the business case, work on the new hospice can begin.

Services currently provided at the Kilbryde Hospice Red Deer Drop-In Centre will also eventually transfer to the new building once the first phase of the development is complete.

The building will also include six new palliative care beds. Over time these will be developed to provide specialist palliative inpatient services.

In April 2007, NHS Lanarkshire and the Kilbryde Hospice Appeal signed an agreement to work together to provide new palliative care services. This led to the opening of The Kilbryde Hospice’s Red Deer Drop-In Centre in July 2008.

The out-patient facility, based at the Red Deer Centre in Westwood, East Kilbride, currently provides treatments, advice and support to people with a progressive illness such as cancer or neurological disorders.