This is what Motlalentoa Motsoane, CEO of the Association of Palliative Care Centres South Africa (APCC), observed during a recent oversight visit to Barrydale.
From 150 Hospice organisations in 2010 in South Africa only 70 still exist while many were forced to close their In-Patient Care Units.
“Within our member organisations there is a vast disparity,” said Motsoane, who took charge of the organisation in September.
“Part of the reason for my visit to Barrydale is to understand the turnaround strategy that they’ve utilised, because a number of our organisations could have gone through the same process.”
The Barrydale Success Story
Two key factors contributed to this success story in the Overberg-based branch over the last 20 months.
Firstly, Barrydale Hospice, under the leadership of Sister Nickie Crookes, ensured that the professionalism among home-based carers improved and that excellent palliative care remained a priority despite financial constraints.
Secondly, the community of Barrydale came to realise the importance of the essential service Hospice delivers in a rural setting.
Thanks to the dedication of the Barrydale in Bloom committee in particular, R210 000 was raised at a time when government funding for NGOs has almost dried up.
The light in an otherwise dark tunnel
From 150 Hospice organisations in 2010 in South Africa, only 70 still exist while many were forced to close their In-Patient Care Units.
And the alarming reality remains that, due to the ageing national population and increased life expectancy, the need for palliative care has never been greater.
Motsoane lauded Crookes and her board for what they had accomplished despite the challenges.
“Due to the size of this village and its economy it is less likely to attract health-care professionals of the calibre needed. Palliative care is a specialised health-care service and the work that is being done here is exceptional,” said Motsoane.
“The key issue we can address here is that with the ageing population comes a lot of chronic conditions and, as a result, more need and fewer resources.”
He noted that the opening of the charity shop in the village was another strong initiative, and although this vital source of income cannot compare to shops in metropolitan areas, the support it receives is a clear indicator of the kind-hearted mindset prevalent in the region.
The funding conundrum intensifies
Crookes noted that Barrydale Hospice receives very little, if any, support from national government, adding that finding a solution to this predicament would significantly improve the lives of patients and carers.
“As government subsidies fall or when the economic climate drops, you’ve got more and more organisations and more and more need – organisations relying on the same money,” said Crookes.
With the considerable decline in state funding, coupled with the frustration and red tape involved in applying for Lotto funds, Motsoane highlighted that the cutback in international support had also contributed to the dire state of affairs.
“A number of hospices have been reliant on international funding like USAID; all of those have been taken away. We’ve spoken about the National Lottery Fund but that has its own dynamics – just the application process is strenuous.
“What we need to think of is how we can streamline the application process for our members. APCC is going to be the mouthpiece for member organisations and we need to ensure that we provide a monetary evaluation of what is needed for sustainable growth and recovery.”
Leading by example
During Motsoane’s visit, he pledged to ensure that more training is provided to hospice carers while highlighing that paliative care is indeed a very specialised field.
Meanwhile Barrydale Hospice Chairman, Dinen Maharaj, emphasised that the work Sister Crookes and her team are doing is exceptional and equally, that his board of volunteers all go the extra mile to ensure that the ship sails smoohtly.
“Because of our dedicated board and having Nickie, the administrative cost is minimal and almost 100% of what we get in goes out for the intended purpose,” he said.
“You can rest assured that there is no unnecessary diversion of funds and, once again, on behalf of the board and the community of Barrydale, we do much more than just palliative care, as Nickie is called on for various medical emergencies.”
