St Giles Hospice to Receive £249,800 from New Government Capital Funding

St Giles Hospice has welcomed news it will receive £249,800 as part of a £2.2 million capital funding boost for 14 hospices across the West Midlands.

The investment, announced by Care Minister Stephen Kinnock, will support ongoing improvements to the hospice’s buildings, facilities and digital infrastructure, following significant upgrades already delivered through earlier Government funding.

St Giles is one of 14 West Midlands hospices benefiting from the funding, which forms part of the Government’s £125 million capital investment in hospices across England. Recent enhancements include a dedicated quiet room where families can have sensitive and important conversations during end of life care, a spa bathroom featuring sensory technology and mood lighting for patients, and a family lounge with a space for children to play. The hospice received £641,379 in July 2025, which was combined with charitable grants including support from the Francis and Eric Ford Charity Trust to deliver these projects.

In 2024, St Giles faced difficult decisions due to sector-wide financial pressures, reducing its bed capacity from 23 to 15 beds and making 23 staff redundancies.

Elinor Eustace, CEO of St Giles Hospice, said: “We’re grateful this additional capital investment will allow us to build on the improvements we’ve made to our facilities for patients and families across Staffordshire, North Birmingham and surrounding areas.

“Recent Government funding has enabled us to transform spaces into dignified, comforting environments for people facing life’s most challenging moments. But it’s important to recognise that capital funding alone cannot solve the fundamental challenges facing hospice care.

“Less than a quarter of our £10 million running costs come from government funding, leaving us dependent on community support for our daily operations. While we appreciate this investment in our infrastructure, the sector urgently needs sustainable operational funding to restore services and meet growing demand.”

This announcement reflects the Government’s acknowledgement of hospices’ vital role in their 10-year NHS plan and the shift of care from hospitals into community settings.

St Giles Hospice is a registered charity providing specialist palliative and end of life care free of charge to people with terminal illnesses across Staffordshire, North Birmingham and surrounding areas. The hospice delivers more than 80% of its care in the community.