WHEN the new centre opens in 2004 a major gap in the health care available in Wyre Forest will be plugged.

Kemp Hospice's £2.2 million building will provide specialist in-patient palliative care beds for the first time.

Campaign manager John Fletcher explained: "Palliative care deals with pain control and it deals with the emotional needs of the patient, particularly if the illness is terminal. This area has never had this service."

Construction will be in two phases with phase one housing a new day care centre and the family support services. Phase two will cover a five-bed in-patient unit.

Mr Fletcher added: "The centre will provide a free resource to the community which will include a day care centre twice the size of the present one.

"A range of therapies for patients that they currently aren't able to have because of the size of the present building will be available.

"Phase two will provide 24-hour-care not available at the moment, and there will be additional facilities to aid both patients and families, including a counselling service, bereavement service and hairdressing facility for patients."

There will also be overnight free accommodation for family members so that they can remain with the patient.

He added: "And we're going to have a training resource available not only for hospice staff but for many health care professionals in Wyre Forest."