It costs £2.8m. a year to run the hospice, which operates as a charity. Three-quarters of that figure goes on care salaries, and the rest is spent on equipment and materials for specialist hospital care, and on its governance and fundraising.
It currently has enough funds saved in its reserves to see it through a maximum of three years. But in 2024 it dipped into that pot for £1m., and last year by £250,000.
‘We’ve had a much better year this year,’ said chief executive Rob Jones, speaking last week.
‘We had a couple of legacies which really helped us out.
‘We also got some grants through and our shop has grown as well.’
But, the hospice is forecasting a much deeper claim on its reserves this year – perhaps by as much as £2m.
This is due to increased bed use and more demand for a higher complexity of care, compounded with the rising cost-of-living and a bigger team of staff to support.
Les Bourgs has a similar pay structure to the hospital. It is contractually obliged to follow the agreed pay formula set by the States for its health staff.
Over the past two years, it has hired about nine more nurses to match increased demand.
‘Three years can very quickly come and go,’ said Mr Jones. ‘We’re probably one of the largest charities on the island, so that reserve is really important.
‘You need to be able to provide confidence to your nursing team that they have a secure job – we don’t want them to worry.’
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£8.50 from every £10 raised is spent directly on the wards and on care at Les Bourgs Hospice.
Funds come from donations, fundraising events and the charity’s shop in St Martin’s. With additional parking and better till systems in place, sales at the shop have gone up by 40% this year – and Mr Jones said it hoped to open another one soon. The hospice also receives funds through legacies and grants – though these are unpredictable and unreliable.
‘We can have a year where we get £50,000 in legacies and grants,’ said Mr Jones, ‘or we could get a year where we get half a million – we just don’t know.
‘So we’re working our way through our reserves, because we need to maintain our high standards and quality of care. The demand is getting bigger and the complexity of cancers and other conditions are getting harder for people to care for.
‘Our specialist skills are needed more than ever. We deal with symptom management and pain relief to a large degree, as well as emotional support for both patients and their families. It’s absolutely vital that we have experienced, highly-trained nurses to manage that. And some specialist cases require two-to-one care.’
Les Bourgs Hospice has never received government funding. Since Mr Jones became CEO in 2023, it has been focused on cutting costs.
‘We spend as little as we have to on anything that’s non-care, and we measure it,’ he said.
He took over the role from Jo Boyd, who was the nursing director at the hospice. Mr Jones said the decision was made before he arrived to treat the hospice as a business, and hire a CEO from a commercial background.
Though he cannot practise on the wards, he believes his brains for business and hospice experience add value at this financially difficult time.
‘If you have someone from a nursing role, they tend to become less of a nurse,’ he said.
‘It pulls them out of the thing they went into it for. I have experience running a hospice, and I have personal experience – my daughter was referred to a hospice when she was seven. I’ve also run my own business. I can understand how to manage money and expand, and I’ve got an MBA in retailing – and that’s helpful. That’s where my value comes in.
‘Jo left a good legacy, with a great balance of experienced palliative care nurses. But, to design a good care team, you need to understand the roles within that team and provide what’s needed. Tell me what you need, and I’ll focus on making it happen. This is a passion for me.
‘This is a beautiful place and I’m surrounded by beautiful people. It’s a privilege, there’s no turning back.’
The hospice will be celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.
‘For us to have been able to thrive without government funding for that long is exceptional,’ said Mr Jones.
‘And that’s because of our community.’
In Monday’s Press Georgie Rowbrey meets Les Bourgs founders Greville and Lisa Mitchell as they mark 35 years of operations at the hospice
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