North London Hospice Launches £1.7m Inpatient Unit Appeal in Finchley 2026

Key Points

• Fundraising Target: North London Hospice has launched the largest fundraising appeal in its 40-year history to raise the final £1.7 million required to complete the £10 million rebuild of its inpatient unit.
• Current Funding Status: A total of £8.3 million has already been secured through major donors, charitable trusts, private sponsors, and government funding, leaving a £1.7 million shortfall to be met by the public campaign, titled Build It For North London.
• Temporary Relocation: The Finchley site on Woodside Avenue closed temporarily for one year, with inpatient services operating from the Jade Ward at Edgware Community Hospital since 1 July 2026 while construction is underway.
• Facility Upgrades: The redeveloped unit will address critical shortcomings of the 30-year-old building by introducing air conditioning, a private entrance separate from the public reception and café, larger rooms for medical equipment and wheelchairs, overnight visitor facilities, and direct garden or courtyard access.
• Completion Timeline: Building work formally began with a groundbreaking ceremony on 24 September 2026, and the new unit is scheduled to open in autumn 2027.

Finchley (North London News) November 14, 2026 – North London Hospice has launched the most ambitious public fundraising appeal in its 40-year history to raise the final £1.7 million needed to complete a £10 million redevelopment of its inpatient unit. While construction has already commenced at the charity’s Woodside Avenue site in Finchley and £8.3 million has been raised through major donors, trusts, private sponsors, and government grants, the sole provider of free adult end-of-life care across Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey is calling on local residents to bridge the remaining funding gap ahead of a planned autumn 2027 opening.

Why Does North London Hospice Need £1.7m to Rebuild Its Inpatient Unit?

North London Hospice confirmed that although £8.3 million of the £10 million redevelopment budget is already in place, the charity cannot cover the full construction cost without public contributions. As reported by Barnet Post, the charity stated that it needs to ensure its free specialist palliative and end-of-life care remains available “for all who need it, touching the lives of residents for generations to come”.

Speaking about the importance of the public appeal, Declan Carroll, Chief Executive of North London Hospice, told Barnet Post:

“We only have one chance to get this right. We would like our supporters to look beyond the building, to the care it makes possible for mums and dads, grandparents, siblings, spouses, neighbours and friends, facing a life-limiting condition.

“We can only keep our doors open thanks to our community and we really do thank them for their ongoing kindness. We aim to help people live well until the end of life, with comfort, compassion and dignity, and without fear and loneliness.

“By supporting our appeal residents will be investing in free care for people they know and love, and potentially for themselves in the future”.

What Was Wrong With the Old Woodside Avenue Building?

Hospice leaders concluded that a complete rebuild was necessary after determining that the existing inpatient facility on Woodside Avenue—constructed more than 30 years ago—was no longer fit for purpose.

In a report by community reporter Robyn Bennett of Tottenham Independent and Enfield Independent, Rebecca O’Connell, Senior Nurse and Inpatient Unit Ward Manager at North London Hospice, outlined the daily operational challenges posed by the ageing infrastructure. As reported by Robyn Bennett of Tottenham Independent, Rebecca O’Connell stated:

“There’s no air conditioning (a huge and uncomfortable problem in recent years!) There’s no separate entrance, so when patients arrive they have to be wheeled through the public reception.

“As a nurse, I do my absolute best to give my patients the best possible care. But the truth is, I know they deserve better. When someone’s coming to the end of their life, these things matter”.

What New Features Will the Rebuilt Inpatient Unit Include?

According to Barnet Post, the redeveloped facility is designed to improve clinical practicality, patient dignity, and family comfort through several structural upgrades:

• Expanded Room Dimensions: Larger bedrooms will allow clinical staff to manoeuvre medical equipment more easily and enable wheelchairs to move freely without cramped conditions.
• Overnight Family Accommodation: Expanded, comfortably shared spaces will end strict space limitations during visits and allow loved ones to stay overnight beside patients.
• Dedicated Private Entrance: A separate entrance located away from the main reception and café will protect the privacy and dignity of new arrivals.
• Climate Control: Full air conditioning will be installed throughout the unit to keep patients and staff cool during extreme summer heatwaves.
• Garden and Courtyard Access: Most patient rooms will feature direct access to landscaped gardens or a courtyard, providing patients with fresh air and natural sunlight.

Where Are Inpatient Services Located During Construction?

In June 2026, North London Hospice announced the temporary one-year closure of its Finchley inpatient unit to allow demolition and rebuilding works to proceed safely. According to North London Hospice and Barnet Post, inpatient services were transferred to the Jade Ward at Edgware Community Hospital on 1 July 2026, ensuring uninterrupted 24-hour specialist palliative care while community services continue to operate as normal.

Background: How Did the £10m Redevelopment Project Begin?

North London Hospice, a registered charity (number 285300) established in 1982, serves adult patients with life-limiting illnesses across the London boroughs of Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey. Plans for the £10 million capital project were kickstarted following a capital expenditure grant from the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside contributions from major benefactors including the Sandringham Charitable Foundation, charitable trusts, and private sponsors.

As reported by community reporter Robyn Bennett of Times Series and Islington Gazette, physical work on the redevelopment was officially marked with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Woodside Avenue site on Thursday, 24 September 2026. The event was attended by hospice ambassador and EastEnders actress Michelle Collins, the Worshipful Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet Councillor Zahra Beg, hospice founder Harriet Copperman, honorary presidents Penny Gluckstein and Geoffrey Hill, and Chair of the Board of Trustees Simon Morris MBE. During the ceremony, as reported by Robyn Bennett of Islington Gazette, Michelle Collins—who arrived en route to filming—joked that the last time she saw a shovel, it was being used to hit her over the head.

Prediction: How Could This Development Affect North London Residents and Healthcare Services?

If the Build It For North London appeal successfully raises the remaining £1.7 million and construction remains on schedule for autumn 2027, adult patients and families across Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey will gain access to modernised, purpose-built palliative care infrastructure designed to meet demographic demand for decades. For clinical staff and nurses, the addition of larger rooms and climate control is expected to reduce physical strain when operating medical equipment and improve working conditions during summer months. Conversely, should public donations fall short of the £1.7 million target, the charity could face financing pressures or delays to the final fit-out of the Woodside Avenue unit, potentially extending the temporary reliance on the Jade Ward at Edgware Community Hospital beyond autumn 2027.