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ADRIAN OWENS - Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman, West Lancashire
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Don't give up on Ormskirk hospice
Adrian today calls on the trustees of Hettinga House to launch a capital appeal to save the closure-threatened home for terminally ill people. Adrian, whose ward includes the hospice, has been working to help the hospice in recent months. He says “The trustees have acknowledged the very positive response from local people to the hospice’s plight. In return they owe it to the people of West Lancashire to explore every option before any decision is made to close the hospice.” “It’s disappointing that the government turned down the bid to help towards a new building at Dark Lane. Equally dismaying is the deafening silence from Rosie Cooper on the issue. With Cherie Blair as a patron of the hospice I’d have thought we’d have heard more from our MP on the issue.” “I’m asking the trustees to launch a specific capital appeal to modernise Hettinga House. The Healthcare Commission have not deemed it unfit for use as some seem to think. The quality of nursing care provided is first class and staff ensure that the needs of families are also properly catered for. With some structural modification, a new lift, electrical rewire and other improvements the existing building could have a future. Such a scheme would require much less than the sums for a new building and I know how much local people value this hospice.” Adrian points out that a small school community in Parbold where he is a governor raised £18,000 for a building project in just 6 weeks last year. “This is an indication that if the hospice puts a positive vision for the future before the wider West Lancashire community then large six figure sums are achievable. I think Francis O’Leary the hospice founder would have wanted every avenue explored. Closure should only be considered when everything else has been tried.” “I’ve written to the trustees urging them not to give up on the hospice and if they launch a public appeal I will be among the first to make a very substantial donation.” What do you think? If you have ideas about the future of the hospice or Adrian's call for a capital appeal to be launched then have your say. Copyright © 2007, Adrian Owens - Revised -- 05/05/07 |
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