Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield has implemented significant cutbacks in response to sustained financial pressure. To stabilise operations, it has reduced its inpatient capacity by 25% and cut nearly 30 roles.
The charity, which provides palliative care across Kirklees, will now serve approximately 1,300 patients annually, down from over 2,000, following a cost-saving drive aimed at offsetting £1.7 million in budget shortfalls. The hospice’s inpatient unit has been downsized from 16 to 12 beds, while community-based services will continue at reduced capacity.
With staffing costs consuming the bulk of its £11 million annual budget, Kirkwood cited inflationary pressures and increased employer National Insurance contributions as key drivers behind the restructuring. Only a quarter of its funding is publicly sourced, leaving the hospice heavily reliant on fundraising and donations.
The workforce adjustment includes 19 redundancies, nine staff shifting to part-time contracts, and additional early retirements. Leadership said the changes are designed to preserve core clinical services while prioritising patients with the most complex needs.
Kirkwood’s move reflects growing pressure on third-sector healthcare providers, many grappling with rising costs, constrained public funding, and volatile donor income.
