“Heartbreaking” More Can’t Access Care

A REPORT by a leading West Midlands children’s charity has said more needs to be done to support those missing out on vital care and support.

Acorns Children’s Hospice has today (1^st September) launched its annual Impact Report in which chief executive, David Strudley, says it is “heartbreaking” that life limited and life threatened children are not accessing the care they need.

Acorns operates children’s hospices in Birmingham, the Black Country and Worcester for the Three Counties and provides care in families’ homes.

The charity aims to care for 1,000 children by the end of the decade. But Mr Strudley says that number is half the potential number of children living in the region that need help and that demand is increasing.

In the 2015-16 financial year the charity provided care to 830 children, a five per cent increase on the previous year.

Mr Strudley said: “We know there are children and families missing out on our care and support and it’s heartbreaking that others aren’t able to access our services.”

The title of the report ‘are we making a difference?’ takes the bold step of challenging the impact the charity has.

Using what it terms the ‘Acorns ripple effect’, the report seeks to comprehensively demonstrate the difference the charity makes to the child, the family, friends, the local community and wider society.

It also for the first time includes testimonials from healthcare professionals highlighting the true value the organisation brings to health and social care in the region.

Mr Strudley, who steps down as chief executive this month after ten years, said he hoped the report highlighted the impact of the charity.

“When I walk around any of our three hospices, visit our shops, speak to health and social care professionals or meet people in the community, it is clear we’re making a difference.

“There is no doubt the impact of our work is evident on many levels, from the child right up to the wider society in which we operate.

“We know there will always be a need for Acorns, but we need to do more. In this report, we’ve asked ourselves if we’re making a difference, now the public need to ask, what difference can they make.”

It costs nearly £10million for Acorns to operate its three hospices and the majority of these costs are met through public fundraising.

ENDS

Acorns Children's Hospice press information, please contact:

David Chamberlain, tel: 01564 825020 / 07817 612 422 / david.chamberlain@acorns.org.uk

Chris Bentley, tel: 01564 825062 / 07814 302 153 / chris.bentley@acorns.org.uk

Ben Mottram, tel: 01564 825063 / 07971 913 042 / ben.mottram@acorns.org.uk

Note to editors:

Due to the sensitive nature of Acorns care services it refrains from using the words ‘terminal’ or ‘terminally ill’ in its press releases and public communications when describing the children who use Acorns and the conditions that they have. Instead, Acorns uses the words ‘life limited’, ‘life limiting’, or ‘life threatening’ – terms that are used by medical experts at the point of diagnosis of the child, and which are commonly used in the UK’s children’s hospice movement and paediatric palliative care communications. Acorns kindly requests that you respect this in your communications when referring to Acorns Children's Hospice. Acorns children have a lot of living to do. Thank you.

Acorns provides babies, children and young people aged 0 – 18 years who have life limiting or life threatening conditions and associated complex needs with a network of specialist palliative nursing care and support. A holistic service meets the needs of both the children and young people and their families, including the bereaved. This includes short break provision; emergency and end of life care; therapeutic and psychosocial support; sibling services; and family support. A package of care is tailored for each individual child which includes their medical, emotional, cultural, religious and spiritual needs. This package is provided both in the hospice and a family’s home.

It costs £9.6 million a year to run our care services providing care for the child and support for families. Acorns relies heavily on the community to fund the majority of its activities.

To find out more about Acorns, please visit www.acorns.org.uk