As the Covid-19 lockdown began, the region’s hospices for children and young adults, Naomi House & Jacksplace, temporarily suspended respite care and instead offered up 6 staffed beds to Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Adults from neighbouring hospitals were admitted to Jacksplace to be cared for by our skilled nursing and care team, so leaving the NHS better able to address the immediate challenge with Coronavirus.
With most indications suggesting the Covid-19 peak is now passed and the NHS less likely to be overwhelmed, Naomi House & Jacksplace hospices have reopened to provide respite care for children, young adults and families.
Our Chief Executive, Mark Smith, said: “We can be extremely proud of the part we have played in helping the NHS cope during the Covid-19 crisis but now, as all signs point to the peak having been passed, we can turn our attention back to our core mission and supporting life limited children and young adults from across the south. This is an important step towards once again providing the full and comprehensive service that local families so desperately need.”
We care for more than 500 families across the south, and our family support team have stayed connected with them throughout lockdown. We have delivered a raft of virtual services, from social work and bereavement counselling to sibling support and play therapy. We continue to offer end of life care for children and young adults at the hospices.
Please considering supporting Naomi House & Jacksplace as we support local families through this crisis by donating today.
Naomi House & Jacksplace is taking a range of precautions to reduce the risk to our service users, staff, volunteers, supporters and partners.
The situation is changing rapidly but it has become clear that this challenge will be around for some time. It may be the case that our service needs to pivot often in order to support our friends and colleagues in the NHS and to protect the health and wellbeing of our families. We remain vigilant and adaptable. We will do all we can to communicate these changes promptly and accurately.
Some shops and our warehouse remain closed. We will take a slow and cautious approach to the reopening of shops.
The best thing members of the public can do to help is maintain good hand washing and infection control measures,wearing non-clinical face coverings, social distancing and following advice from PHE and government.
It is clear that it will be enormously difficult for Naomi House & Jacksplace to raise money to fund our service until this crisis has completely passed. We need your help now more than ever. If you wanted to support our work this year and beyond, you can make a donation here.
Further information on Coronavirus and the most up-to-date official advice can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/