The Marie Curie Hospice in Penarth will be suspending inpatient care for the time being so that their staff can work across Cardiff and the Vale to provide vital end of life support in the fight against coronavirus.

The hospice has around 30 inpatient beds when it is accepting patients and has a variety of care options that it would usually facilitate.

Andrew Wilson-Mouasher, divisional general manager for Marie Curie in Wales and Kay Jeynes, director of nursing at Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board commented:

"During this time of national crisis, Marie Curie and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board have explored how the palliative care experience of our front-line nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals from the Marie Curie Hospice Cardiff and Vale can most effectively be used to support the NHS and meet the needs of more people who are dying, both with and without COVID-19.

''It has never been more important for services to work together, and more people than ever will need the support and expertise of hospice staff over the coming weeks and months.

''A joint decision has therefore been made between the Health Board and Marie Curie to temporarily suspend inpatient services at the Marie Curie Hospice Cardiff and Vale in Penarth to enable the specialist expertise of front line staff at the hospice to be able to support the NHS and patients across Cardiff and Vale Health Board area during this crisis.

''We have developed plans to phase a transfer of current hospice staff to where they are really needed at this time, to help expand the Marie Curie Hospice at Home Service within Cardiff and the Vale, providing end of life care to more people and their loved ones in their own homes, and to provide additional support for the Health Board's community-based and Dragons Heart Hospital teams during the COVID-19 pandemic.

''The Health Board has put arrangements in place for those people with palliative care needs who require admission to hospital.

''This new way of working will also support patients, their families and carers in their home or usual place of residence to ensure a comfortable and dignified end of life experience."

Andrew Wilson-Mouasher, divisional general manager for Marie Curie in Wales adds: "Marie Curie staff will still be employed by the charity and receive salary and support from the organisation. The Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and the Vale, will also still have a number of support staff in place and will need to be maintained by the charity during this time for health and safety reasons, and therefore Marie Curie will still be in need of fundraising income.

''Marie Curie is grateful for the support of all those who have and continue to support their Emergency Fundraising Appeal, and hope generous supporters are able to continue helping the charity's campaign at this difficult time."