Merger with Peace Hospice Care goes ahead

We are delighted to announce that the proposed merger with Peace Hospice Care that was announced in June will be going ahead this month, as planned. The next phase of the merger integration ​started from 1st October 2022. The new organisation has been incorporated and will be called Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.

The driving force behind the merger is our goal to increase both reach and scope of services offering a range of high-quality care for those facing life-limiting illness, as well as bereavement counselling services for anyone affected by grief, across our diverse local communities.

Our combined catchment areas across West Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire covers a GP population of over 1 million local people, among whom in recent years there has been a significant increase in those living alone.

With a 1% death rate, and 75% of those requiring end of life or palliative care needs, there is a local need to serve just under 8,000 patients a year. As Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, our aim is to increase our current patient numbers from approximately 5,000 per year to cover more of this need, and for more of the local GP population to benefit significantly from our combined high-quality services, along with other partner hospices in the area.

Stewart Marks, Chief Executive of Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care said:

“I am delighted with the sheer amount of hard work that has been happening behind the scenes across all departments to combine the two successful charities and achieve our vision of growth in our new bigger catchment area. We have already identified key growth areas to focus on to serve and support more people, reach all sections of the community and strengthen our resources to ensure every local person receives the care they need, when they need it, whoever they are.

“We are currently liaising with the Charity Commission for their final approval, and the newly appointed Executive Board will be leading our merger integration plans with their combined teams from 1st October.”

Chair of Trustees of the new organisation, Dr Jeremy Shindler, added:

“The reaction to news of our merger has been overwhelmingly positive. We are especially delighted that our staff are already combining forces to lay out plans for how our services will extend efficiently across this wider catchment area covering over 1 million local people. We are on track to deliver our action plans for the next 18 months of merger integration and excited to work with the wider community.’

Services offered by both charities for people facing life-threatening illnesses, and those who care for them, will continue, with the merger goal to extend reach and deliver better outcomes from current combined resources, as well as working together on future development and expansion. Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care has three clear aims:

• Serve – provide a wider range of services to support people in West Herts and Bucks to live as well as possible as they near the end of their lives
• Reach – develop new and enhanced services to reach all sections of the local community and meet their changing needs
• Strengthen – use our strengthened combined voice to secure the resources needed to ensure every local person receives the care they need, when they need it