Following a period of consultation with colleagues, we have made the very difficult decision to make changes to some of our services.
We understand this news will cause concern, and we are writing directly to the patients and families affected to ensure they continue to receive the care and support they need.
These changes will allow us to focus on protecting what we do best – providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care for people with the most complex and urgent needs.
This means that while many of our specialist services will continue, some services will very sadly come to an end.
Protecting hospice care for the future
We want to reassure our communities that we are not closing our hospices. By making these changes now, we are protecting hospice care for the future, so we can continue to be there for our patients and their loved ones when it matters most, for many years to come.
Our three hospices – Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice near Arundel, Martlets in Hove, and St Barnabas House in Worthing – have collectively supported more than 100,000 patients and their families with specialist palliative and end-of-life care through some of the hardest days of their lives.
We believe that, even at the end of life, people can live fully, and that even a short life can be filled with love, dignity and peace.
A funding challenge that is affecting hospices nationwide
Unfortunately, the chronic underfunding of our services has left us with no other choice but to make these changes.
As a charity, we receive just 14% of our funding from the NHS, which means we rely heavily on the generosity of our communities to keep our hospices running.
Like nearly two-thirds of hospices across the UK, we are currently operating with a deficit. This is being driven by increasing demand for our care and rising costs, including inflation and National Insurance. Despite making significant savings and changes behind the scenes since forming Southern Hospice Group in 2024, we need to tackle this further.
We’d like to thank all of our colleagues, volunteers, patients, children, young people, families and supporters for their patience and understanding at this difficult time.
For more information, including answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our dedicated information hub.
Published on: 26/03/2026