10 new rooms for Stafford hospice as £1.5m extension is given green light
Ten new bedrooms will be created at Stafford's hospice after its £1.5 million extension was given the green light by planners.
Stafford Borough Council has approved plans to refurbish Katharine House Hospice’s Inpatient Unit in Weston Road in Stafford with the modernisation project due to start in the spring.
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The hospice said the redevelopment will provide 10 private en-suite bedrooms to give patients and their families greater privacy, dignity and comfort. The upgraded layout will also strengthen infection control, reduce noise, and create a more welcoming environment. Meanwhile the staff will benefit from more flexible space to deliver personalised care.
The 25-year-old unit and plays a vital role in delivering specialist palliative and end-of-life care in the borough and the surrounding areas.
All of the hospice’s care services, including the busy outpatient clinics in the Therapy & Wellbeing Centre will continue remain open and running throughout.
The trust said demand for palliative care is expected to increase in the next 20 years and the new investment will ensure the charity can continue supporting local families in the future.
Recent government capital investment will enable further improvements. Solar panels will be installed, saving the charity more than £15,000 a year on energy bills for the hospice building and the charity’s Business Centre on Stafford Technology Park. The grant will also support upgrades to the hospice’s oxygen supply and increase parking capacity.
The hospice is exploring a mix of financial options, including its own reserves and applications to charitable trusts. A community fundraising appeal is planned for early 2026.
Carina Lowe, lead hospice nurse, said:“Private rooms will give people comfort, dignity and a real sense of home at a difficult time. They help patients feel settled and safe and allow families to spend precious time together. This development also means we can be there for more people when they need us most.”
“Staff, patients and families have all shared their views. We have also worked with Asist Advocacy Services to make sure the new space will meet the needs of the people who use it.”
There has already been community support for the proposed plans, with many people sharing positive comments online.
Dr Richard Soulsby, Katharine House Hospice’s chief executive, said: “We are delighted that our plans have been approved and grateful for the strong community support we’ve already received.
“In the coming years, we know more of our community will need quality palliative and end-of-life care, and this development paves the way for us to continue to care in the future.
“This modernisation will greatly improve the experience of people receiving our expert inpatient support at a time that can be so distressing for patients and their loved ones. We will do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum and will maintain our highest care standards throughout the project.”
Katharine House Hospice will now appoint contractors and confirm the construction timetable.
