Lib Dems secure cross-party support to save Marie Curie Hospice
The Liverpool Liberal Democrat opposition group has put forward a motion ahead of the full council meeting at the end of month that has been a agreed as a cross party motion.
Rather than having the motion debated, Cllr Cashman secured backing from the political leaders to agree the motion as a “Cross-Party Motion” meaning it is not subject to debate but is passed by all councillors..
The motion calls on Liverpool City Council to begin a dialogue with the charity’s trustees on a number of issues around the reopening of the hospice for inpatient care. This includes looking at how money raised locally for Marie Curie can be ringfenced to make up any shortfall in funding from the NHS integrated care board.
Malcolm Kelly, Lib Dem Councillor for Woolton Village, said:
“The Marie Curie Hospice has been a huge part of the community here in Woolton and it has provided care to people across the city and beyond.
“Councillors from across other political persuasions have already made huge efforts alongside local campaigners, staff and volunteers to try and save this unit and keep it open”
Cllr Carl Cashman, Leader of the Liverpool Liberal Democrats, said:
“This issue doesn’t just impact Woolton or South Liverpool but the whole city and beyond.
“I hope all the political groups can agree to do everything in our power to save this vital community service."
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Protecting Marie Curie Liverpool
Proposed by Cllr M Kelly
Seconded by Cllr L Makinson
Council notes with much sadness the great loss to the city of the inpatient service at the Marie Curie Hospice in Woolton. The 26-bed unit was initially “temporarily” closed in July 2024 with the charity citing a lack of specialist staff to run it and a further announcement made by Marie Curie 12 months later in July this year to permanently close the unit.
The news of permanent closure due to what is being described as a financial deficit, with the need to find £4 million a year to make the hospice financially sustainable, is devastating for the families of loved ones who have been cared for at the hospice and campaigners who have worked tirelessly to save this vital service.
The holistic support and clinical care that is provided by this hospice in Woolton is very widely known and warmly appreciated by people in Liverpool and particularly by the very many people and families who have benefited from the care and warm support they have received at the very lowest point in their lives, which is testimony to all of the extremely hard working and very much caring nature of the staff at the hospice. We owe them all a debt of gratitude.
Both the incredible legacy that the hospice leaves behind and the future gap in provision for people needing end of life care resonates throughout the whole City and beyond.
The hospice enables those facing terminal illness and their families to experience support and enable management of physical and emotional symptoms.
This Council therefore resolves to:
1. Request the Chief Executive of the Council write to the Trustees of Marie Curie requesting that an urgent meeting is held to explore how the inpatient unit at Woolton Hospice could remain open.
2. Urge the Trustees of Marie Curie to continue with receiving the annual funding from the Integrated Care Board through the existing arrangements as they have done over the past years to allow opportunity for further discussion about future funding.
3. Request the Trustees of Marie Curie to ringfence all funding raised in the Merseyside area to help meet any financial shortfall in funding from the Integrated Care Board in order to retain the inpatient service at the Woolton Hospice.
4. Request the Trustees of Marie Curie enter into meaningful and constructive dialogue with local families and dedicated campaigners to explore further ways in which local funds can be raised to help support the retention of the inpatient service at the Woolton Hospice.
5. Request that failing all measures to maintain Marie Curie as the main provider of the inpatient service at the Woolton Hospice, the Trustees of Marie Curie work with local campaigners and the council to investigate alternative providers for this service at the Woolton Hospice