Cheshire Independent Issue 198

MACCLESFIELD • TYTHERINGTON • BOLLINGTON ALDERLEY EDGE • PRESTBURY • WILMSLOW • HANDFORTH • POYNTON • BRAMHALL • DISLEY • ALSAGER • BIDDULPH • CONGLETON • SANDBACH ISSUE 198 FREE CHESHIRE FREE YOUR LOCAL GOOD NEWS-PAPER FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CheshireIndy www.independentnewspapers.co.uk Looking for Flooring Inspiration? Let us help you find the perfect flooring for your home. With great advice, home styling, measure and planning service, plus quality fitting of top brands and designs, youwill be glad you did . Visit our showroom: Tuesday to Saturday or call 01260 224445 for a private appointment Thornycroft Farm, Pexhill Road, Siddington, Cheshire SK11 9JN ● Modern, Traditional & Luxury Carpets ● Natural Wood Flooring ● Laminate Flooring ● Stair Runners & Rods ● Luxury Vinyl Tiles ● Bespoke Rugs & Runners Help our hospices! MPs call for vital funding increase A GROUP of Cheshire MPs have written to the government calling for more vital funding for two local hospices. They want a meeting with social care minister Stephen Kinnock and have urged him to visit East Cheshire Hospice in Macclesfield and St Luke’s in Winsford to see for himself the important services they are providing. The MPs want to discuss ‘much-needed’ capital fund- ing for both hospices with the minister. In a letter to him calling for the meeting, they say: “St Luke’s and East Chesh- ire Hospices provide invalu- able care to our community but receive less than 18 per cent of their funding from the government.” The letter was penned by Congleton MP Sarah Russell, who has accepted an invitation to be a voluntary vice presi- dent of East Cheshire Hospice. It was also signed by Mac- clesfieldMP TimRoca, MP for Crewe and Nantwich Connor Naismith and Mid Cheshire’s Andrew Cooper. Mr Roca said: “With the upcoming Leighton Hospital rebuild in Crewe, we want to ensure St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice can be part of the project, creating a modern, fit-for-purpose facility. “East Cheshire Hospice is also leading innovative work in preventing hospital admis- sions, and we want to secure support for its vital services. “We’ve invited the minister to visit both hospices and see first-hand the incredible work they do. Our hospices deserve the funding to continue pro- viding compassionate care to those who need it most.” In their letter the MPs point out that St Luke’s only has ten beds in an open ward and the hospice receives just 14 per cent of is funding from the gov- ernment. They say there is no space for it to expand further on its existing site. They point out it has been a long-time aspiration of Cash plea: East Cheshire Hospice deserves more backing say MPs St Luke’s management for the hospice to be part of the Leighton Hospital rebuild. And they add: “It would be economically efficient for the hospice to be incorporated as part of the hospital pro- gramme using the monies that the hospice has already set aside alongside some money from our new capi- tal allocation.” The MPs also stress East Cheshire has capital funding needs, telling the minister: “The hospice is doing a lot of innovative work on avoiding hospital admissions. “However, due to histori- cal anomalies, like St Luke’s, it receives relatively little money from the integrated care board.” Mid Cheshire MP Andrew Cooper said: “the recent announcement of £100mil- lion that the government is providing for hospices is very welcome. “St Luke’s and East Cheshire hospices are much valued in our communities, but both receive less than 18 per cent of their funding from the government. “Hospice funding needs to be fair and consistent across the country. End of life care should not depend on the gen- erosity of individuals.”