Hospice nursing home to close

Alternative accomodation will be found for the eight remaining residents of St Augustine's, the nursing home arm of the St Leonards-based organisation.

The exact number of redundancies is not known.

Celia Pyke-Lees, chief executive of St Michael's, said: "This has been a difficult and in many ways a sad decision, but the time is now right for St Michael's to concentrate on the provision of palliative care services for all those in need in Hastings and Rother.

"We of course understand the feelings of those most directly affected and are doing all we can to alleviate the difficulties they may encounter."

Although a FAQ document circulated to staff and residents and passed on to the Observer last week revealed that up to 20 staff, from both the clinical and non-clinical teams, could lose their jobs, a hospice spokesperson said the amount of jobs at stake was still unknown, and that it was too early for such an answer.

Voluntary redundancies are still being invited.

Since announcing the proposal on November 6, the hospice has consulted with staff, residents of the nursing home and volunteers to find an alternative remedy for the crippling 520,000 funding deficit at the heart of the charity's crisis.

Job cuts announced in March resulted in 12 redundancies and a company-wide pay freeze, but the hospice hopes this latest move will enable the charity to balance their budget by 2011.

This would secure the future of their larger, palliative care wing, which currently cares for around 4,000 residents a year across Hastings and Rother.

Chairman Julian Avery added: "This move will ensure that St Michael's can continue to do what it does best, namely the provision of uniquely varied and flexible palliative care services. With its financial future secure, it can bring even greater benefit to our local community over the years to come."