Interview with Jeremy Lune, Prospect Hospice CEO
The Wroughton-based hospice will increase its inpatient capacity by 50%, from six beds to nine, by January 2027.
The move is expected to allow around 90 more people every year to receive specialist end-of-life care at the hospice, rather than potentially remaining in hospital. Prospect Hospice will commit around £300,000 a year to running the additional beds, with the cost expected to increase as salaries and other expenses rise.
The announcement marks a significant turnaround for the charity, which earlier this year said it was having to turn away around six patients a week because it could not afford to operate more beds.
Speaking to Swindon24, Prospect Hospice Chief Executive Jeremy Lune said:
“It almost seems slightly unreal.
“We have only had six of the 12 beds that we need open for the last few years due to the funding model that’s been often discussed.
“We have now announced that we are going to be opening three more beds, taking that capacity from six to nine in our inpatient unit, and that is thanks to the generosity of our community. It is incredible news.”
Prospect had budgeted for a deficit of around £800,000 in the last financial year, but instead finished with a £400,000 surplus. Around £600,000 came from one-off government capital funding, which could not be spent on staffing.
Jeremy said some of the money was needed after the hospice’s heating system failed and its roof suffered storm damage. Overall, the hospice ended the year more than £500,000 ahead of where it had expected to be, with community support playing a significant role. He said:
“We are now, rather than sitting on reserves, we’re going to spend that money on what it’s meant to be spent on.”
The proposal to spend around £300,000 annually on the three beds was scrutinised and approved by Prospect’s board of trustees after considering whether the cost could be sustained in future years.
The decision comes amid continued financial pressure across the hospice sector. Prospect expects just 16% of its annual funding to come from government sources, meaning it remains heavily reliant on fundraising and locally generated income.
Jeremy said the hospice’s NHS contract received a 0.7% cost-of-living increase at the beginning of this year, while inflation was running at around 3%.
At the same time, costs including energy, food and staff salaries have continued to increase. But Prospect recorded its strongest-ever fundraising performance during the last financial year. He said:
“Every single stream of fundraising income through all those channels broke every record in our 46-year history, the only thing that hasn’t gone up accordingly is the statutory funding.”
Money has been generated through donations, charity shops, lottery players, corporate supporters and fundraising events across Swindon and the surrounding area. The first Men’s Walk to Support, held in partnership with Swindon Town Football Club and backed by local businesses, raised £83,000.
Mr Lune said the event, which was effectively run as a trial, will now become an annual fundraiser. He said it also provided an opportunity for men to come together and talk about grief and complex emotions.
Prospect’s charity shops have also performed strongly, with retail income currently 11% higher than last year. The charity is preparing to open a new shop in Watchfield, its first new store for a couple of years. He said:
“It’s every pound that goes into the tin contributes and makes a difference.”
Around 180 people currently receive care in Prospect’s inpatient unit each year. The increase from six to nine beds is expected to enable around 90 additional patients annually to receive care there. Jeremy said:
“90 more patients every year will be spending their final days at their place of choice, rather than potentially in a corridor at Great Western Hospital, which is such a wonderful thing.”
James Wallace’s wife Becca died at Prospect Hospice aged 45 three years ago. He said:
“Becca was one of only six patients to receive expert palliative care at the hospice when she died three years ago.
“When we would walk down the corridor to visit her, it was heartbreaking to walk past empty rooms.
“Together with our two teenage daughters, we were all supported through the difficult time and so it’s incredible to know that so many more families will benefit from the care and love that we experienced from Prospect Hospice.”
Despite the expansion, Prospect believes 12 inpatient beds are required to meet demand across the area. The latest announcement will therefore take the hospice to three-quarters of the inpatient capacity it believes the community needs.
Jeremy said the remaining three beds could potentially reopen if the charity’s financial position improves further. He said economies of scale mean reopening those beds would not cost as much as the £300,000 annual commitment required for the latest expansion. He said:
“If we got some more money, we could potentially open three more beds.”
That, he added, “would truly meet the needs of the population”.
Around 90% of Prospect’s care is delivered in the community, including helping people remain in their own homes. The charity also wants to expand its support at home services, therapy, family support, bereavement counselling and occupational and physical therapy.
However, uncertainty around the restructuring of NHS services means Prospect wants greater clarity before committing to some of those plans. Jeremy said there is an immediate and established need for additional inpatient beds. He said:
“Turning away dying people is a heartbreaking position to be in, but now, thanks to the positive power of our community, we will be able to give more people the choice they deserve at the end of their lives.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the people who have dug deep when everyone has been affected by the cost-of-living crisis and not only enabled us to stabilise, but also to grow.”
He added:
“I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank every single person that’s contributed to this hugely positive step forward.”
Prospect Hospice was founded in 1980 and provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care free of charge across Swindon, north-east Wiltshire and neighbouring parts of Gloucestershire.
The charity says inpatient care costs more than £1,000 per person per night, meaning community fundraising will continue to play a crucial role after the additional beds open.
