As part of our commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Trust, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of our clinical and support services. This has led to the difficult but necessary decision regarding our dementia specialist Admiral Nurse Service, delivered in collaboration with Dementia UK.
We are sorry to announce that the Admiral Nurse service within St Barnabas Hospice is coming to an end, and the service will be closing from March 2026. As part of the transition toward closure, we will also be closing to external referrals from this week to ensure a safe and supported wind-down of the service.
Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses who provide expert, practical, and emotional support to families and individuals living with dementia, helping them manage the complexities of the condition. Our nurses will be discussing this with the families they currently support to minimise the impact on them.
The service was originally established with support from Dementia UK in 2019 and has been funded solely by St Barnabas since 2022, but unfortunately, this is no longer financially viable.
We want to be clear that this decision was not taken lightly, and this change does not mean we will stop caring for patients living with dementia. People living with dementia who have palliative needs will continue to receive high-quality care from our clinical teams.
Staff members affected by this change have been supported through a consultation process, and we are committed to ensuring they receive appropriate support and guidance during this difficult time.
We understand this news may be unsettling, and we want to thank you for your support and understanding during this time as we take steps to preserve our core services and ensure our long-term sustainability.
If you would like to speak to a member of the St Barnabas team about any feedback or concerns, you can contact us on enquiries@stbarnabashospice.co.uk.
If anyone is affected by the service closure and needs support with any aspect of dementia, you can speak to an Admiral Nurse on Dementia UK’s national helpline. Please call 0800 888 6678 (Monday to Friday 9am – 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am – 5pm) or email helpline@dementiauk.org.
You can also book a free telephone or video appointment with an Admiral Nurse at a time that works for you in Dementia UK’s virtual clinics. For more information or to book an appointment, please visit https://www.dementiauk.org/information-and-support/how-we-can-support-you/book-a-virtual-appointment/