Les Bourgs Hospice has warned that community support alone may not be enough for the charity to meet the increasing costs and care complexities.
Chief Executive Rob Jones (pictured) said the hospice currently costs £2.8 million a year to run, with 85% of that spent directly on care, and that the organisation remains entirely reliant on fundraising, donations, volunteering and retail income.
“Les Bourgs is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing specialist palliative and respite care, free of charge,” said Mr Jones. “That’s what the community deserves, but it comes at a growing cost as demand increases and care becomes more complex.”
Mr Jones said the hospice is seeing a significant rise in patients with complex needs, often involving multiple conditions, requiring higher staffing levels and more experienced nurses.
“As care becomes more complex, staffing ratios change. In some cases, patients need two-to-one care, not one-to-one,” he said. “We also provide vital emotional support to families, because the last thing we want is for them to carry trauma with them for the rest of their lives. Their care is just as important.”
The hospice has increased nurse recruitment to meet this demand, while pay costs continue to rise in line with national nursing pay agreements and inflation.
In 2024 Les Bourgs was forced to draw around £1 million from its reserves, though a stronger fundraising year, legacies and grants have reduced that figure to around £250,000 in 2025.
However, Mr Jones warned that reserves alone cannot provide long-term security. “We have enough in our reserves to see us through a maximum of three years, but that can disappear very quickly,” he said. “If your annual commitment is £2.8 million, uncertainty is always there. Reserves give confidence to our nursing team and stability to the care we provide, but they are not a solution in themselves.”
Forecasting remains unpredictable, with future shortfalls potentially reaching £2 million in a single year if income does not keep pace with rising costs.
Les Bourgs continues to be supported by a strong base of volunteers, donors and fundraisers. Its retail shop has seen a 40% increase in sales this year, following operational improvements and expanded parking, and the hospice hopes to expand its retail presence elsewhere on the island.
“Our shop isn’t a charity shop – it’s a donation to care,” said Mr Jones. “New or nearly-new items go straight to paying wages and supporting patients. Volunteering, fundraising, donating, or leaving a gift in a will – every form of support makes a real difference.”
Mr Jones said as Les Bourgs looks to celebrate its 35 th anniversary this year, the charity is now looking beyond traditional fundraising alone.
“Most UK hospices receive a level of state support,” he said. “We are already working with the States of Guernsey on a palliative care strategy for the island which will help us work out what Guernsey needs in future. After that we’ll be able to work out how this can be delivered through a partnership – including government, Health and Social Care, GP’s, care homes and the charitable sector.
“Les Bourgs has enriched this island for 34 years. We’re now looking to the next 35 – but to do that, we need financial support to match the growing need for our care.”
