New visitor accommodation at Hospiscare’s Searle House in Exeter has recently opened to allow the friends and families of patients to stay close to their loved ones.

Exeter MP Steve Race opened “The Lodge,” which is situated next to the hospice’s eight-bed inpatient ward, with a red ribbon-cutting ceremony.

He said: “I was really happy to help officially open this wonderful new space for families of people being cared for at Hospiscare.

“Having stayed at a children’s hospice with my family during my sister’s life, I know how important The Lodge will be for families who want to be close by their loved ones who are in the care of Hospiscare. This new space means families won’t need to travel in every day, or stay in a hotel, and provides a truly welcoming and comfortable environment.”

The Lodge is a self-contained, two-bed annexe, and includes a kitchen, walk-in shower room, two bedrooms, lounge, and a small private garden.

It has been built with funding secured from a Department of Health and Social Care Capital Project grant of £898,600, given to Hospiscare, part of a government scheme providing £125m to hospices throughout England for capital projects.

Interim Hospiscare chief executive, Wayne Gale, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for this funding for The Lodge, which has enabled us to provide families of our ward patients, who might not live locally.

“We’ve also been able to put a number of cost saving measures in place, as a result of the grant, to help us manage spiralling energy costs, and secure more spend for providing our outstanding patient care services.”

Hospiscare provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care for more than 2,000 patients and their families every year across Exeter, central and east Devon, including Okehampton. The charity delivers care in people’s homes, on its specialist ward, through outpatient clinics, and through wellbeing and bereavement support services.