Building a new Hospice

Why does  Phyllis Tuckwell need to build a new Hospice?

Phyllis Tuckwell provides supportive and end of life care for thousands of people living with an advanced or terminal illness. They help patients to maintain their quality of life and support them to help make their final days peaceful.

Demand for services is at an all-time high and is set to increase. The population of the catchment area is both growing and ageing, and as people are living longer, they often have more complex medical needs. The existing building has served its patients well, but much of it was built over 90 years ago. It is dated, poorly laid out, costly to run and sadly no longer fit for purpose.  Therefore, Phyllis Tuckwell need to build a new state-of-the-art Hospice on the existing site. More spacious, with new inpatient and outpatient facilities, the new Hospice will enable our multi-disciplinary team, including doctors, nurses and therapists, to care for thousands more people, for generations to come.

What will the new Hospice look like?

The new building

The new Hospice will be built on the existing site in Farnham. The number of beds on our In-Patient Unit will increase from 14 to 18, each in an individual room with en-suite facilities and a private courtyard garden. The rooms will be large enough for family and friends to visit and stay, with space for the most up-to-date medical equipment.

The building will also support the growing need for outpatient services, to help people maintain their independence and continue to live in their own homes during their illness. There will be a new, larger Living Well suite, a new exercise suite, and a series of new treatment rooms for physio and complementary therapies.

How will the project be funded?

The cost of the project is estimated to be in the region of £16 million. Phyllis Tuckwell already have a fund of £10 million to begin the project, but they are busy securing significant donations from Trusts, corporates and visionary individuals to complete the build.

If you can help the fundraising campaign, please contact the Campaign Director, Peter Foxton, on 01252 729449 or email newhospice@pth.org.uk

What is the status of the planning application?

Planning Permission was received in April 2023 so the project is now moving forward to the next step. You can view the application here.

Provision of services during the build

Phyllis Tuckwell will continue to offer its specialist services throughout the period of the build, from alternative locations:

In-Patient Unit (IPU)

Phyllis Tuckwell will occupy 10-beds within a new separate wing of Kings Lodge care home in Camberley. Phyllis Tuckwell will run independently from the care home, so our admission processes, staffing and inpatient care will continue as currently. Please continue to refer to Phyllis Tuckwell in your usual way. This reduces our capacity from our current 14 inpatient beds, however it was the only viable option available for the duration of the new build. Phyllis Tuckwell will continue to work with our integrated care partners to enable access to the IPU and to support patients to be cared for at home, including the continuing development of our virtual ward.

Community

Our multi-professional community services will operate from two hubs: our existing Beacon Centre site in Guildford which has recently been refurbished; and a temporary Phyllis Tuckwell satellite office at Headway House in Farnham town centre. Counselling services will be provided across the Phyllis Tuckwell locations, according to patient preference.

Outpatient appointments

Our recently refurbished Beacon Centre in Guildford, which now offers increased outpatient capacity, will continue to be a hub for our community services and will be the centre for all our Living Well groups and outpatients.