WORK has now started on building the new £5m St David’s Hospice in Newport.

Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford officially broke the ground at the site of the new hospice in Malpas.

The Welsh Government is investing £3m to expand the in-patient palliative care service for terminally ill patients and their families.

The new £5m specialist 15-bed hospice will be run by St David’s Hospice Care, working in partnership with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and Newport City Council.

The building will be built by Andrew Scott Ltd, with Newport-based Whitehead carrying out the mechanical and electrical work on the new hospice. Whitehead provided the same service for the existing day hospice as well as handling on going maintenance.

The new hospice has been designed by KKE Architects who also designed the current day hospice at Malpas.

Mark Bowen, managing director of main contractors Andrew Scott Ltd, said: “This new in-patient unit will provide much needed care, and we at Andrew Scott Ltd are very proud to be St David's construction partner."

The new centre, which will be linked to the current day hospice by a corridor, is due to open in June 2017 after a 60-week construction programme. It will replace the existing 10-bed St Anne’s unit.

The new building will have each room leading onto a terraced area overlooking a proposed garden to be used by patients and visitors. The new facility will also benefit from a social hub and community café served by a 50-space car park.

St David’s Hospice Care cares for more than 3,000 patients and their families every year. Staff care for patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses such as end-stage heart failure and motor neurone disease.

St David’s Hospice Care serves a population of more than 600,000 people from Newport, Caerphilly, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, as well as Mid and South Powys.

Professor Drakeford said: “This investment will enable the hospice team to deliver patient and family-led services in a new, state-of-the-art facility.

“The team St David’s Hospice Care has developed a palliative care model which is recognised as an example of first class care. When this new building is complete, they will be able to support more people who need their help at the end of their lives.”

Emma Saysell, chief executive of St David’s Hospice Care, said: “This marks a landmark day for hospice care in Wales. The turf cutting marks the start of building of the first independent hospice in Wales this century.

“We are thrilled to be embarking on building the first purpose built voluntary sector in-patient hospice in Wales this century. We are so grateful to Newport City Council, Welsh Government, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and the Big Lottery for recognising and investing in our shared vision.

“Our care depends on the ongoing support from our local community and we hope they will continue to support us in the future so we can provide the very best hospice and end of life care”

Judith Paget, chief executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said: “The health board is pleased to be working with St David’s on this new development which will support them in continuing to deliver excellent patient and family-led services for those patients who require it.”

Leader of Newport City Council Cllr Bob Bright said: “Newport City Council has worked closely with St David’s Hospice Care and we are delighted to be able to gift the land for the work on this much needed new unit to go ahead.

“This is an important step forward for St David’s Hospice Care who are committed to ensuring patients and families have the choice as to where they receive their care and this new modern unit will ease the burden for many in our community.”

Over the coming months St David’s Hospice Care will be developing an operational plan to ensure the smooth delivery of the service and also to ensure the success of the new hospice. New volunteering opportunities will be created and the charity says it is looking forward to working closely with the local community and our supporters.