A PLAN by St David's Hospice Care for a 15-bed inpatient unit in Newport has received a £3 million funding boost.

The funding from the Welsh Government, announced today, brings a huge step closer the charity's dream of expanding its inpatient service for terminally ill patients and their families from Newport, Torfaen, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire and mid- and south Powys.

The £5m project will replace the existing 10-bed facility at the nearby St Anne's Hospice, and the aim is to get contractors on the site, behind the hospice's existing headquarters off Blackett Avenue, Malpas, by the end of the year.

"That's what we are hoping for, and St David’s Hospice Care is absolutely delighted to receive this news," said its chief executive Emma Saysell, who added that with the land value taken into account, there remains around £1m to raise to complete the funding package.

Other fundraising opportunities are being pursued, including with a range of grant-making bodies.

The proposed unit, for which planning permission was granted last month, will be run by St David’s Hospice Care, working in partnership with the health board and the city council. It will be built next to, and with a direct link to, the existing hospice headquarters.

St David’s Hospice Care is the UK’s largest provider of hospice at home care, caring for more than 3,200 patients and families every year, at a cost of more than £7.5m. It cares for patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, such as motor neurone disease and end-stage heart failure.

“The new hospice will offer state-of-the-art patient and family-led services, and ensure people can access the best possible palliative and end of life care, irrespective of their diagnosis," said Mrs Saysell.

“We would like to sincerely thank the minister and the Welsh Government for investing in this vital care, and would also like to thank Newport city council for providing the land and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board for its tremendous support.

"St David’s Hospice Care has worked with local community and volunteers for many years. We are indebted to them for their continued support and we look forward to working with them to realise this amazing opportunity for hospice care.”

Though timescales are not set firmly at the moment, should the aim of an end-of-year start for the project be realised, the unit could be open by early 2017.

Health minister Mark Drakeford, who announced the funding, said the model of palliative care developed by St David's Hospice Care "is recognised as a good example of how to deliver first class hospice care."

“The new hospice will deliver significant benefits to patients and their families through the replacement and improvement of facilities.”