Refurbished hospice ward reopens after appeal

The first patients have arrived on a hospice ward which has reopened following a £3m upgrade.

Severn Hospice, which cares for patients from Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid-Wales, said improvements to the Perry Ward at its site in Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury, were an "essential project" to keep up with modern standards. Improvements include new beds and a renovated relatives area.

Chief executive Heather Tudor said the extended and updated facility would provide "the best environment... for our patients and families". The hospice cares for about 3,000 families each year across its sites.

Inpatient manager Zoe Turner told BBC Radio Shropshire it was a "costly project, but much needed".

"[We've had] a lot of new equipment - new beds, new mattresses... so both wards now are updated with equipment for patients."

She added reception and relatives' areas had also been renovated: "It needed decorating, it needed warming up so it's welcoming when patients and relatives first come in."

Patient rooms had lost their "clinical" look, with each room including en-suite facilities and a smart TV and speaker, the hospice said. The rooms also open out onto the gardens.

Sofa beds are in patient rooms for visitors wanting to stay overnight, and there is a self-contained guest apartment for loved ones.

Healthcare assistant Sharon Love told BBC Radio Shropshire that working for the hospice was "lovely, like one big family", and it was an "absolutely beautiful place".

"I can't wait to work on there - the rooms are like a five-star hotel."

She added that her "absolutely amazing" colleagues had cared for her late husband Danny at the hospice's other base in Apley Castle, Telford, before his death with cancer in August.

"[They] cared for the family as well... my colleagues made them feel so welcome and supported them through the process."

The hospice has said the upgraded ward will future-proof its services for decades to come.

"Our ward patients are our most poorly patients and we want them to be cared for in a space that reflects our expert clinical and compassionate care.

"We know that it is all these small but meaningful touches that add up to make hospice care so special."

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