Queen Margaret Hospital palliative care enhancement

Local MSP Bill Walker has welcomed NHS Fife’s announcement that palliative care facilities are to be enhanced at Dunfermline’s Queen Margaret Hospital.

The £28,000 refurbishment, partly funded by endowments, will see the Queen Margaret Hospice (ward 16) completely redecorated. A number of planned improvements – including new bathroom facilities for patients, a multidisciplinary therapeutic area and the creation of a room with overnight facilities for relatives – will provide a more homely and comfortable setting for patients and their families.

Mr Walker said, “I was very pleased to hear that the generous donations made by patients, families and other people will be spent on enhancing palliative services at the Queen Margaret Hospice.

“It is extremely important that patients and their relatives have comfortable surroundings, and I hope that former patients and their families will attend the opening weekend to provide feedback.”

The refurbishment is scheduled to take four weeks and is hoped to be completed by the end of September or early October. Patients will be transferred to an alternative ward at the Queen Margaret Hospital during the work to minimise disruption to patient care.

Prior to patients returning to the ward, an open weekend is planned to allow the public, previous patients, relatives and staff to see how the endowments have been used.