Children's hospice may close due to nurse shortage

The Horizon West children's hospice opened in 2012

The BBC has learned the service that provides respite and palliative care for children in County Fermanagh has been suspended and may have to close due to the lack of specialist nurses.

The Horizon West children's hospice near Enniskillen was opened in 2012.

Nine paediatric nurses are required to operate the service.

The Department of Health said every effort has been made to recruit nurses but because of the shortage of nurses it has not been possible.

They stand ready to discuss any additional support that might be needed.

A spokesperson said the department has "worked closely with the management team to support the development of services by the hospice".

"This has included over the past two years administering a £1m grant to the Hospice from the previous Executive's Delivering Social Change grant scheme which included support for the development of nursing services".

The Chief Executive of NI Hospice Heather Weir said the impact on families in the area would be "devastating."

"It means families will have to travel from Fermanagh will have to travel to Newtownabbey for care.

The Chief Executive of NI Hospice Heather Weir said the impact on families in the area would be "devastating"

'Incredibly frustrated'

"Some of the children are very unstable clinically and may have seizure activity. Some parents will have to decide whether to make that journey."

Mrs Weir told the BBC that despite working closely with the Trusts, the Children's Hospice had been unable to recruit the specialist staff and said she was "incredibly frustrated" by the workforce situation.

"The fact (is) that our calls for increasing paediatric training numbers haven't been heard and we are now in this situation - as is the region for nurses in other sectors such as domiciliary care - but we have to advocate for these children who need palliative are.

Eighteen children and their families are currently using hospice services in the Fermanagh area.

"While specialist nurses will continue to care for children in their homes the kids will not be able to have local respite.

The hospice was officially opened in 2015 by the Duke of Kent

The BBC understands that health officials at the Department of Health were notified about the move by The NI hospice a fortnight ago.

According to hospice members who have spoken to the BBC, while department officials were sympathetic about the suspension, to date there has been no offer of a way forward or action as to how to try and recruit staff.

There has been criticism from staff and health unions about the lack of workforce planning across all health sectors.

Those warnings have now become a reality with the suspension of respite care for children with cancer in Fermanagh.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "The Department was notified by the NI Children's Hospice that it was continuing to experience difficulty in recruiting paediatric nurses to work in Horizon West and a decision would be made by the Hospice after Christmas on the long-term future of Horizon West.

"The Department has worked closely with the Children's Hospice management team to support the development of services by the hospice.

"This has included over the past two years administering a £1m grant to the Hospice from the previous Executive's Delivering Social Change grant scheme which included support for the development of nursing services.

"The Department believes that the Hospice's management team has made every effort to recruit paediatric nurses but due to the shortage of nurses in this specialist healthcare area this has not proved possible.

"The Department stands ready to discuss further with the Hospice the additional support that might be required to provide alternative respite services for families from the western area."