Patients staying at our Shrewsbury hospice in future will be guaranteed rooms with garden views and en-suite facilities as well as access to the specialist care they need, as part of a £1.2 million investment plan.

Yet the upgrade will only go ahead if planners approve – and funds permit.

Our ageing building at Bicton Heath has required a long-term programme of investment to ensure the highest standards of care are maintained and this latest project would give every bedroom direct access to our site’s award-winning gardens and all patients their own en suite.

The improvement plan will create an extension for four new bedrooms, adding an extra room overall. The plans include refurbishments to communal areas and provision of more clinical space for nursing staff.

Our Chief Executive Heather Tudor said: “Our approach to care means we think about someone’s overall well-being, not just their clinical needs, and we know that something as simple as looking out on nature and having private access to a shower and toilet have a tremendously positive effect on a person.

“We always want to provide the best environment for our patients and these improvements would ensure that anyone staying at Bicton has access to exactly that.”

Consistent standards

Two years ago, we consolidated our two wards at Bicton into one. The changeover maintained the same number of patient rooms but meant that some bedrooms re-commissioned at the time did not have their own en suite or a garden aspect.

Last year we opened a new building to house our community services, recognising that four out of five patients supported by the hospice are living in their own homes. The new centre provides access to the services they need such as specialist clinics and consultations, complementary therapy and group activities. It is also home to our first café venture, Refresh, whose profits support us.

As well as providing consistent standards across our care, the investment in Perry Ward also enhances facilities for families and visitors.

The plans include provision for a more private and welcoming entrance for patients being admitted by ambulance, and sustainable energy measures for heating of the new rooms.

Appropriate funding

If approved by planners any building work would only start when we are confident that it has appropriate funding and that essential reserves are protected.

Heather added: “We want to do the work as soon as is practicable so patients benefit as soon as possible, but we are not going to commit the hospice to something it cannot afford. With a planning application formally submitted it helps us approach potential funders with the necessary detail of what we’re seeking to achieve.”