Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds has visited Helen & Douglas House following a small fire at Helen House in Oxford on Friday 12 June, which was quickly and safely extinguished by emergency services. No children, families or staff were injured.
The labour MP met with staff and Chief Executive David Whittingham during her visit on Saturday (20 June), where she praised the swift response of both staff and emergency services.
Anneliese Dodds said:
“I was grateful for the opportunity to visit Helen & Douglas House, and I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism of hospice staff and emergency services, who acted so swiftly to keep everyone safe and prevent further damage to the building. I will continue working closely with the hospice to ensure they have the support they need to continue delivering this vital care in the community, and to safely welcome families back into the building as soon as possible. Last week was Children’s Hospice Week, so it is especially important to recognise the vital role hospices like Helen & Douglas House play as a lifeline for families with seriously ill children. As a pioneer of the children’s hospice movement, it continues to make an extraordinary difference to so many lives in our local community and beyond.”
The fire directly affected only a small area of the building. However, it has caused a temporary disruption to the power supply, meaning Helen House is currently closed to in-patient stays while the issue is resolved and the charity ensures it is fully safe to reopen.
We are pleased to say we are able to provide temporary in-patient care onsite in Douglas House on a case-by-case basis. We are currently running a temporary in-patient care service for children using our second building Douglas House. This in-patient care is being offered to families on a case-by case basis. Our care in the community and in hospitals continues as normal.
In this temporary hospice setting we are continuing to provide 24/7 respite stays with one-to-one nursing care, end of life support and post death care. We are encouraging anyone who needs our care or is referring someone for care, to call us at 01865 796771 which is staffed 24/7.
David Whittingham, Chief Executive of Helen & Douglas House, says:
“Most importantly, everyone was safe and unharmed. We know how important Helen House is to the children and families who rely on us, and we understand any disruption may feel unsettling.
We are doing everything we can to return to our usual in-patient services as quickly as possible, while keeping safety our top priority. I am grateful to Anneliese Dodds for taking the time to visit and for her support. I would also like to thank the emergency services and our staff for their calm, swift response.”
Families whose planned stays are affected are being contacted directly by the Helen & Douglas House team.
