A NEWLY refurbished hospice welcomed a special visitor today (Thursday) when the chief executive of NHS England called in to inspect the work.

Teesside Hospice celebrated the completion of the £650,000 project with a visit from Simon Stevens who enjoyed a tour of the Middlesbrough care centre.

In 2013, the Department of Health awarded the hospice a £442,588 grant which helped to finance the improvements.

Maureen Thompson, chief executive at the Hospice said “We are delighted to celebrate the completion of the refurbishment at Teesside Hospice with Simon Stevens and feel privileged that he has took time out of his busy schedule to see first-hand the difference the improvements have made to the environment in which patients access our care.

“I feel that Simon’s visit reflects the close working relationship Teesside Hospice has had with its NHS partners for the last 32 years and we very much look forward to continuing the positive working relationship in the future.”

The Hospice’s patients, their carers and families can now enjoy the difference these improvements have made - enhancing their experiences at Teesside Hospice.

The improvements carried out included upgrading and extending the Inpatient and Day Care Units, improving the reception area of the building and developing a Complementary Therapy suite.