A Liverpool city region hospice is having to halve the number of in-patient beds it provides amid a £2m funding crisis. Tony McDonough reports

Queenscourt Hospice in Southport is having to slash the number of in-patient beds from 10 to five as it continues to battle a £2m funding crisis.

In mid-March LBN revealed the hospice had launched a Keep Queenscourt in Service fundraising campaign to raise emergency funds for the charity. It comes amid the most financially challenging times it has faced in its 35-year history.

Queenscourt was founded in 1991 and provides compassionate care for patients and their families across Southport, West Lancashire and Formby. It has been impacted by a number of financial challenges.

Last year just 24% of Queenscourt’s funding came from the NHS, with the hospice relying on short-term grants, fundraising and personal donations to meet the remaining cost of its services.

However, the rising costs of salaries, the impact of new tax initiatives such as employee National Insurance, the increase in energy bills and the shortfall in Government funding means that Queenscourt is now operating at a £2m deficit.

Now the facility has started making unavoidable cuts to its service. As well as halving the number of in-patient beds it is also being forced to reduce some of its wider core clinical services including Queenscourt at Home Shifts and Outpatient Therapy Services in addition to Housekeeping and Catering Services.

If no action is taken, Queenscourt warns it could face closure within 18 months, with the loss of all jobs.

Dr Clare Finnegan, executive medical director, said: “Queenscourt has been operating with an annual deficit of approximately £2m for the past two years, and we face a similar shortfall for 2026/27.

“We have been drawing on our reserves to ensure we can continue to sustain our current services whilst we have been liaising with the Integrated Care Boards to obtain further funding.

“However we have been advised that we will not receive this level of funding until 2029, and if we do not take measures to cut our costs, Queenscourt will be forced to close.”

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Queenscourt continues to hold discussions with the Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) of Lancashire and South Cumbria and Cheshire and Merseyside.

To help support Queenscourt during this immediate funding crisis donations can be made by clicking here or by calling the fundraising team on 01704 517420 to make a donation over the phone.