Stronger Together: Teesside Hospice and Butterwick Hospice agree merger to boost hospice care across

After a lengthy decision process, it has been agreed in principle that Teesside Hospice and Butterwick Hospice will merge to provide people across the Tees Valley and County Durham with access to better end of life care and ensure long-term sustainability of services. 

This collaboration has been agreed between Teesside Hospice and Butterwick Hospice to ensure the provision of services for those living with life limiting illness and their families will continue across the Tees Valley and County Durham.

As well-established, neighbouring hospices, the organisations will work together in the best interests of the communities they jointly serve, aiming to meet the increasing demand for care and delivering services long into the future.

Mike Thornicroft, CEO at Teesside Hospice, said: “At Teesside Hospice we have experienced a significant increase in demand for our services across the last few years and we have grown to meet this demand.

“Year on year we have seen increases in referrals and patient contacts across all our services, and we have taken steps to ensure we can meet the needs of this growing community without compromising our standards. This has included upgrades to our facilities, such as recent refurbishments in our In-Patient Unit and Wellbeing Centre, and increased staffing.

“But we’re not done, and our mission is to ensure everyone across the region has access to the care they need and deserve. Nationally, 1 in 3 people are still dying without the care they need at the end of life – we want to change that and together, through this collaboration, we will be stronger and better placed to drive this growth.

“We will continue to be the heart of the community – today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.”

Jointly, Teesside Hospice and Butterwick Hospice support a total of over 6,700 people across the Tees Valley and County Durham.

Teesside Hospice currently delivers care and compassion to patients and families through In-Patient, outreach, Wellbeing, Lymphoedema and Bereavement Counselling services across the Tees Valley. Through its sites in Bishop Auckland and Stockton-on-Tees, Butterwick Hospice provides compassionate care to adults and children with an In-Patient Unit, Day Services, Family Support, Home Care Service and dedicated Children’s Hospice. 

Edward Gorringe, CEO at Butterwick Hospice, added: “Over the last few years Butterwick Hospice has re-established itself at the heart of our communities, our Adult In- Patient Unit has reopened, the quality of our services has been recognised by the Care Quality Commission, and we have had the privilege of supporting a steadily increasing number of patients and their families. 

“We now want to develop our services further and faster, ensuring that we are able to respond to changing needs and demands over the coming years. We believe that this can be best achieved by working with others and are excited by the potential offered by this collaboration with Teesside Hospice.

“Together we will be stronger, more resilient and more responsive, anchored in our respective communities, and committed to continue providing the holistic, loving care envisaged by our founder, Mary Butterwick.”

For more information on Teesside Hospice visit www.teessidehospice.org and for Butterwick Hospice, www.butterwick.org.uk. If any members of the public have questions following this announcement, please submit these via the website form on www.teessidehospice.org/contact/.