HospiceCare North Northumberland and Tynedale Hospice at Home new arrangement "is the best of both worlds"

HospiceCare North Northumberland and Tynedale Hospice at Home – which covers Ponteland, Hexham and other towns and villages in the west of the county – will remain separate entities for the purpose of funding and delivery of services.

However, they say the arrangement will help people in west Northumberland and north Northumberland to have access to the same type of care services and it will also enable both charities to make operational and procurement efficiencies.

Tynedale Hospice at Home CEO Mike Thornicroft and head of care Chris Orife have been formally appointed to the same positions at HospiceCare North Northumberland with immediate effect. They will split their time between both organisations.

Mr Thornicroft said: “I firmly believe in local charities. Our ability to harness local knowledge and respond to specific needs within our community is a great strength. Occasionally, a joined-up view across the whole region is needed.

“This arrangement is the best of both worlds. I believe each hospice can do a better job both locally and regionally by working together strategically in this new collaboration.”

The two charities are aligned in terms of their service offer. They both have ‘at home’ hospice care at their core, delivering nursing care in the patient’s home rather than at an in-patient facility.

They also offer similar wrap-around care such as family bereavement services.

Lucy Carroll, chair of HospiceCare North Northumberland, said: “We will continue to run Tynedale Hospice at Home and HospiceCare North Northumberland as two separate organisations with the benefit of one strategic vision across the whole of Northumberland.

“This puts us in a better position to support the NHS Northumberland healthcare trusts.”

They are also highlighting that the new partnership strengthens the opportunities to learn from one another and ultimately improve the provision of services, the volume of people using them and ease of access, whether self-referrals or via healthcare professionals.

John Harrison, chair of Tynedale Hospice Care at Home, said: “It means more of the income we raise is able to go directly to front-end services.

“While there are no plans to merge teams, staff from Tynedale Hospice at Home and HospiceCare North Northumberland will collaborate where it makes sense to do so.”