I’m delighted to finally be able to share with our community a project which has been close to all of our hearts for many years.
My name is Tracey Wilcocks, Chief Executive at Overgate. I’m a nurse at heart – and I’m so proud of the expert, loving and thoughtful care our staff give to our patients. But, the truth is, we’ve outgrown our beloved family home. We know that improved facilities will help us meet the increased need for our care – and deliver that personal touch in a better, more modern environment.
That’s why we’ve launched our Big Build Appeal – to create an exceptional space that enables the absolute best care for the people of Calderdale when they need us.
Overgate has been here, providing care to our community for over 40 years. But, in that time, the way that we care for patients has changed. We’re now able to help people manage their symptoms better, so they can do the things that are important to them long past a terminal diagnosis. People are living longer with their conditions than they were even ten years ago. There’s also more demand for our care than ever before.
But our limited number of single rooms means it’s hard to provide the privacy that every patient and their loved one deserves. Each family in our care should be entitled to life-changing conversations in a private, secure environment; to spend their final moments together in peace.
Our ambitious build project will transform our Inpatient Unit (IPU) from the existing 12-bed unit into a brand-new facility with 16 private bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom. This expansion aims to ensure all our patients are treated with the privacy and dignity we’d want for all our loved ones. Our Day Hospice, the heart of our community support, will double in size – providing more services to ensure that Overgate remains a haven, where we can support people to have the best possible quality of life.
I don’t know if I can put into words how it feels to make someone’s last wish in life come true; to give someone quality of life when coping with illness – and a good death. Free from pain, surrounded by people who love them. Or help a family say goodbye the way they want to. The Big Build Appeal will make this possible for more local people than ever before.
Each of us, or our loved ones, is likely to face the challenges and sadness of illness. When that time comes, we want the right care, Overgate care, to be available.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to anyone who has chosen to support the Big Build Appeal. Together, we can build a state-of-the-art, patient-centred space that will be here for generations to come.