St Barnabas Hospices and Martlets announce merger

• Outstanding Patient Care: the merged organisation will bring together a wealth of specialist clinical experience, talent and resources to enhance the level of care provided to our patients, and to provide consistency of care across the catchment areas.  
• Community Impact: The merged hospice group will be committed to maintaining an active role in the community and contributing to its well-being. We aim to be a trusted partner in supporting individuals and families during their most challenging times.  
• Improved Sustainability: The integration of resources and streamlined processes will improve operational and financial efficiency, allowing us to allocate more resources to patient care. 

There are currently no anticipated changes to delivery of care. Patients will continue to be seen at the hospice in which they are currently a patient, and by the same teams. There is an ambition to continue to offer outstanding care to our communities and over time, it is hoped, that the new organisation will be able to offer enhanced services in some areas. 

There is an ambition to continue to offer outstanding care to our communities and over time, the new organisation will be able to offer enhanced services in some areas. 

There are no plans to cut bed numbers in either hospice. 

Martlets has 14 beds in the hospice and is currently running at a capacity of 8 due to staffing levels, maintained from our return from Maycroft Manor. We will aim to open up more beds as we are able to secure both staffing and funding after the best way to meet unmet need. 

St Barnabas has 8 beds open with plans to increase to 12 over the next few months once some building work on the unit has completed. 

As of the 1 February 2024 Amanda Fadero, current CEO of St Barnabas Hospices, will assume the position of CEO of the newly formed organisation. A full recruitment campaign will be undertaken shortly to fill the position on a permanent basis. Amanda will stay in post until the successful candidate joins the organisation. 

Yes, your support is more vital now than ever before. Hospice UK’s recent benchmark report showed that 67% of hospices reported a deficit in the first half of this year (FY23/24). With the downturn in the financial health of the hospice sector expected to continue, we feel it is right to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the charity, but we will still be dependent on the generosity of our communities to keep the doors open. This means that we can make every penny of your donation work harder to keep caring for patients and their families during some of their most challenging times. 

Less than 25% of costs are covered from central government.   

The three hospices will continue to trade publicly under their existing names – St Barnabas House, Martlets, Chestnut Tree House, with their current branding. There may be a change to the group name which isn’t widely used in the public domain. 

Both organisations will be governed by a group Board and Leadership team which will be confirmed no later than 1 April 2024. The organisations will be fully merged by 31 December 2024. 

Martlets Care will continue to operate as a separate entity (a subsidiary of the group) and will be overseen by the Group Leadership team. 

Services will continue to operate as normal at Chestnut Tree House. The Leadership of the hospice will be overseen by the group leadership team with longer term benefits coming from more efficient support functions. 

All existing contracts and supplier relationships will be assessed in due course. As systems and processes are merged services will be tendered for as appropriate. 

Whilst it is our preference that funds raised are unrestricted and can be spent wherever the need is greatest, we understand that at times our supporters may want to give to one of the three hospices. We will be able to honour that wish through the processes already in place internally to make sure donations are being restricted to your chosen hospice. 

Core clinical services will be maintained and developed to meet the needs of our patients. The merger will provide both organisations with the opportunity to share knowledge, experience and resources to ensure that patients and their families receive the same level of excellent care in both communities. This may mean a review of our clinical models so that they align and offer equity across both communities, as well as a review of systems and processes to enable more efficient ways of working. 

The Board will be chaired by Mike Rymer, current Chair of the Board of St Barnabas Hospices. The Board will be comprised from a combination of existing St Barnabas Hospices Trustees and Martlets Trustees. Until the 31 December 2024 Martlets will continue to have its own Board which will report into the Group Board. The Martlets Board will also be comprised from a mix of Trustees from both organisations. Appointments to both Boards will be confirmed in due course. 

It is hoped that any redundancies will be minimal but as with any merging of organisations a review of structures and positions will need to take place in due course. Whilst redundancies can’t be ruled out, they will always be seen as a last resort, and every effort will be made to minimise the number of people that may be affected.