MORE details have been revealed about plans to transform a much-loved community hospital into a hospice, after the building was gifted to charity last year.
Herriot Hospice Homecare is working on the final proposals for how it will convert the Lambert Hospital in Thirsk. The finished scheme would include up to five in-patient beds, a bereavement and palliative care education centre and a base for the charity's community services.
In a behind the scenes tour of the hospital, which had 14 beds when it closed, Tony Collins, chief executive of Herriot Hospice, confirmed the charity is also planning to have a cafe and meeting spaces, and wants to involve the local community as much as possible.
The Lambert was gifted to the people of Thirsk in 1890, but was closed in 2015 by South Tees NHS Trust, who said they could not get enough staff to run the building. Hambleton District Council bought it for £350,000 after then Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt stepped in following concerns it was to be sold privately, and in a major consultation by the council, the majority of the 600 people who responded suggested it should be used for palliative and end of life care in conjunction with Herriot Hospice.
The charity's ownership of the Lambert was confirmed in February when joint chair of trustees Dr Hilary Enevoldson and trustee Dr Rosie Page signed the relevant documents.
“People in Thirsk put their trust in us via public consultation in 2019, and thanks to partners including Hambleton District Council and the Lambert League of Friends, we are now able to work towards securing what we need to ensure we can be there for the community and their loved ones in the years to come,” said Dr Enevoldson.
One of the hidden areas in the old building
Dr Page, daughter of James Herriot author Jim Wight, added: “Ensuring that everybody living with terminal illness and bereavement across our communities has access to care and support when they need it most is why we exist, and we are pleased to move one stage further on the journey to making our plans a reality.”
Mr Collins said to reflect the heritage of the site, the revamped facility will be named Herriot Hospice at the Lambert, and confirmed the charity is close to launching a fundraising appeal to help pay for the refurbishment.
Setting out the charity's vision for the building, he said the ground floor would contain four or five en-suite in-patient rooms, including one for families, all of which would have access onto a garden at the back. A redundant outside area at the front opposite the neighbouring medical centre would be landscaped and form part of the cafe. All will be fully accessible for people with conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease.
Upstairs will be used as a base for the charity's homecare services, with part converted into an education centre focusing on improving quality of end of life and palliative care, bereavement services, and conversations around death and dying.
While an extensive refurbishment is required, the roof and structure are sound, Mr Collins said.
"We're almost ready to launch with how much we need," he said, adding that the charity will be working closely with local groups such as the League of Friends of the Lambert Hospital. "As well as money though, we want it to be part of Thirsk – and more than Thirsk, part of Hambleton and Richmondshire. The fundraising is just an element of that.
"We want it to be an appeal that reaches out and gives real, genuine ownership to the community so that people want to come here and volunteer as well."
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