Comment

Is this the end of our end-of-life unit?

6 February, 2022 12:00 am
3 Min Read

Mary Burnett from Action4Whipps on the fight to save the Margaret Centre
By

The centre's new garden, unveiled less than two years ago (credit: Barts Health)
The centre’s new garden, unveiled less than two years ago (credit: Barts Health)

“Who would have thought that the death of a partner could be a magic experience? But it was.”

These are the words of Helen McClennon, whose husband died at the Margaret Centre in Whipps Cross Hospital surrounded by his entire family, including grandchildren. Her appreciation for the work it does caring for patients at the very end of their life is not unique but the centre itself most certainly is, which is why the prospect of losing it is terrifying.

Where most hospices are run by charities, the NHS-run Margaret Centre – in the words of ward manager Knut Sanghajit – “can do things that are just a bit outside the normal NHS service”, while still offering hospital care. In a video put out by Barts Health NHS Trust in September 2019, he describes how only that day the son of a woman who died there two years prior returned to remember her. It’s a touching moment that’s unlikely to be repeated if the centre’s 12 beds are salami sliced and dotted around busy wards.

In August 2020, less than two years ago, Barts unveiled the centre’s new private garden, funded by donations from Barts Charity. In their announcement, they spoke glowingly about how “having a specialist unit means palliative needs can be prioritised in a more efficient and sensitive way”. At the same time, they were planning to sell the land it sits on.

There was no mention of the Margaret Centre in public engagement meetings about the new hospital in the autumn of 2020. Following huge public concern, Barts wrote reassuringly last September about plans to relocate it, promising more details in April, but otherwise their refrain continues to be that end-of-life care will be provided in beds across the new hospital and improved services in people’s homes.

Meanwhile, the multiple services once provided by the centre, allowing for continuity of care, are now seemingly being salami sliced and scattered across North East London. St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney, run by a charity, has already been handed the reins for respite care and discussions are being held about it taking over outreach as well. These have always been important parts of the work the Margaret Centre does, allowing staff and patients to get to know each other before admission becomes necessary.

The desperation I and other members of Action4Whipps have to save the centre is why it’s so gratifying to see some local councillors finally stepping up to scrutinise the hospital plans. Waltham Forest, Redbridge and Essex councillors have now had two meetings of the special joint committee created to debate the hospital project and, during their last, recommended that a “discrete inpatient facility” for end-of-life care be included in the new Whipps. Both Redbridge councillors in particular were vocal about the valued work of the centre, speaking powerfully about their concerns for its future.

It’s clear public concern, community campaigning, and letters to Barts from Redbridge Council and our three MPs have had an impact – but we need to do much much more.

To join our campaign or for more information contact [email protected].

No news is bad news 

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts. 

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less. 

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation. 

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit 

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month.  £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.

Donate now with Pay Pal

More information on supporting us monthly or annually 

More Information about donations

Tags
FacebookXRedditPinterestEmailLinkedInWhatsApp

1,096 Comments

Click here to post a comment

Our newspaper and website are made possible by the support of readers and by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider helping us to continue to bring you news by disabling your ad blocker or supporting us with a small regular payment.