Cambridge hospice worker claims bed cuts would have 'monstrous' effect
Emily Randall Bowen's father died at Arthur Rank Hospice in 2021
A Cambridge hospice worker has said losing nine beds there would have a "monstrous" impact on people's lives.
Arthur Rank Hospice has reached its £829,000 fundraising target after being told last year that the beds were at risk of closure due to NHS funding cuts.
Emily Randall Bowen has been working as a supporter care administrator within the hospice's fundraising team since June last year.
Her father died at Arthur Rank in 2021 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
"If you think of the level of care you'd get here compared to a hospital, it's a different level," Emily said.
"It would be monstrous if this went."
Trust 'delighted' with hospice
In autumn last year, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced it would be making funding cuts to beds as it decided they were no longer best value for money.
A CUH spokesperson said the decision was "among a number of cost-saving measures, including redundancies, taken across the Trust in order to maintain core services within a significantly reduced budget.
“We are delighted the fundraising campaign has raised enough money to keep the nine beds open at Arthur Rank Hospice for another year.
"We will continue to work closely with our colleagues at the hospice as valued partners on behalf of the populations we serve.”
CUH confirmed it wants to create an end-of-life care ward which patients from across Addenbrooke's Hospital would be able to use. Arthur Rank Hospice was officially opened by the now Duke of Edinburgh in 2018, and provides care to patients at home, as well as its facilities in Shelford Bottom and Wisbech.
'Impact would be immense'
It's unclear if NHS funding for the nine beds at Arthur Rank Hospice will be restored.
Emily has a memory tree leaf at the hospice to keep her father's memory alive, and feels the service has given her a lift.
"Walking through those doors, you think it's going to be a dark, grim hospice but it's not; you get a friendly smile at reception (and) it's helped me come to closure," she added.
"The impact (of losing nine beds) would be immense, not just for me and my family; the support we got here for my dad and for us was amazing.
"You won't get that anywhere else, not with this amount of knowledge they have, it's just incredible."
'Hope and belief'
The county's Liberal Democrat MPs including Ely and East Cambridgeshire MP Charlotte Cane met with health and social care minister - Stephen Kinnock MP - this week to discuss a longer-term funding strategy for hospice care.
Sharon Allen, CEO at the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, is grateful for the support given by the trio towards its fundraising campaign.
Although she's uncertain for the future, Ms Allen is determined to stay upbeat.
"I'm under no illusion this is going to be easy; I'm hugely grateful and relieved we are where we are, but I'm already worrying about April 2027 and beyond," she said.
"The first reason we stay positive is because of the amazing support from our community.
"When you get the messages of support, the emails, letters, phone calls, and saying 'we want to support you', that gives you hope and belief."