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By Helena Markovic, Coventry Evening Telegraph
A HOSPICE has stepped in to provide care for cancer patients who are losing the day centre at Walsgrave Hospital which provides help for them and their families.
Myton Hospices has offered to look after all patients who use the Oncology Unit day care centre in Coventry which is closing on October 28.
The centre at the hospital offers respite care for more than 45 people undergoing treatment for cancer. It also enables carers to take a break.
The new arrangement will mean patients being transported from the hospital to two Myton Hospice sites in Warwickshire - Myton Hamlet Hospice, Myton Road, Warwick and Rugby Myton Day Hospice, Barby Road, Rugby.
It is believed that the deal was brokered after talks on Monday night between senior managers at Walsgrave Hospital and Myton Hospices.
Gill Young, chief executive of Myton Hospices, said: "We know that the new Coventry Myton Hospice at Walsgrave will not be open until 2008 so we were concerned that patients attending the day centre at the hospital should not be disadvantaged by not having an alternative.
"We provide not only respite care for patients and carers but nursing and medical assessments where required. Patients can also enjoy social activities in pleasant surroundings."
Staff at Myton Hospices will be visiting patients at the hospital to talk to them about the future arrangements.
Talks are still under way to organise how the patients at Walsgrave will be transported to the two centres in Warwickshire.
The Evening Telegraph revealed on Friday that the day care unit was to close and pressed the trust which runs the hospital to say how the patients would be cared for.
Although the trust bosses insisted that there would be provision and that no one would suffer they would not disclose any further details.
Yesterday trust spokeswoman Claire Austin said that the two hospices were a much better and tranquil surrounding for the patients.
The trust has denied that the closure of the day care unit was linked to cost-cutting measures, although it has announced a raft of other measures designed to claw back £7.8 million.
Last week the 14-bed ward B3 was closed but the hospital bosses maintained that there would be no adverse affects on patients and waiting lists would not increase.
