Charity boss outlines financial difficulties amid calls for government support
The CEO of Hospice Isle of Man says the decision to announce service cuts and redundancies was "tough to make" but "the right thing to do".
The organisation has offered its workforce of 150 the chance to take voluntary redundancy as it battles increasing financial costs.
Relying on fundraisers for millions of pounds each year, the charity is calling for more government support - all while aiming to generate £750,000 of savings.
CEO Fiona Hatton says the main goal is to ensure that Hospice survives for generations to come:
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As the news of the situation at Hospice broke, Manx Care and the DHSC issued a statement saying 'patients and families across the Island can be reassured they will continue to receive the hospice care they rely on'.
As of its latest estimates, Hospice has told Manx Radio that it requires £7.5 million to meet its annual running costs.
In the latest Budget it was allocated £1.8 million by Government, significantly lower than the £2.45 million it had requested from Manx Care's budget to help cover its core services.
That leaves the charity relying on fundraisers to bring in the remaining £5.7 million each year.
Hospice Isle of Man says it will begin a campaign in May calling for a 'more equitable funding model'.However, Manx Care CEO Teresa Cope says those figures 'require context', as the Island-based charity receives 'other benefits that other hospices don't have':
You can listen to the full interview with Hospice CEO Fiona Hatton via the Manx Radio Newscast below;
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