ILKLEY'S MP John Grogan visited Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice to discuss the needs for specialist palliative care in the region and to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by hospices.

Lizzie Procter, Hospice Director at Sue Ryder Manoralnds Hospice, took Mr Grogan on a tour where he had the chance to speak with some of the clinical staff and learn more about the range of healthcare services provided by the hospice.

Mr Grogan said: “Manorlands Hospice is held in great esteem and affection. It unites us all like few other institutions do. I was eager to visit and learn more about the work the Manorlands team do not just on site, but in home visits throughout the area. I am keen to support some of the fundraising events in the future and with that in mind, I hope to be on the starting line for the Keighley Big 10k in Spring 2018.”

Lizzie Procter explained the innovative end of life care services Sue Ryder provides. How the hospice is developing its specialist services to provide more care and support directly into people’s own homes where many people wish to stay and spend their last days.

Mr Grogan listened with interest about the hospice’s community-based and outreach programmes, which ensure more people can access vital services when they need them. These include a drop-in service at Airedale Hospital and in Hellifield, and a new drop-in bereavement service run every Tuesday at the hospice by volunteers. This service is the first of its kind in the area, led by a group of trained volunteers who have an in depth understanding of how grief affects people and may also have had direct experience of a partner or a family member dying at the hospice.

Lizzie said: “I am very grateful that Mr Grogan took time out of his very busy diary to come and meet the staff and hear about the care we deliver. Good care for people at the end of their lives, and their loved ones, is so important. Everybody at the end of life should have access to adequately resourced and properly funded services so that they can die well where they wish and bereavement support should be readily available. Mr Grogan is in a strong position as the MP for Keighley and Ilkley to strongly support this on the behalf of our local people."

All care services at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice are completely free of charge to patients and their loved ones. However this year it will cost £3.3m to run the hospice, that’s £275,000 per month and £9,000 per day.

If you would like to know more about the work of Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice or make a donation visit http://www.sueryder.org/Manorlands