Mina House officially open
MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes Jenny Gilruth officially opened our new Mina House facility in Kinglassie.
The building is being used as a temporary base while Rachel House in Kinross undergoes a £17million refurbishment.
Ms Gilruth, who is also Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, was given a tour of the house then met families and CHAS staff members before officially opening the building by cutting the ribbon.
She said: “It is a pleasure to officially mark the opening of the CHAS premises at Mina House in Kinglassie, ensuring that children and families can continue to access specialist hospice care and support they rely on while renovations work take place at Rachel House in Kinross.
“CHAS provides Scotland’s only dedicated children’s hospice services, delivering specialist palliative and high-quality end-of-life care to children with life-shortening conditions, and I am particularly pleased to see this vital work continuing in our local community and supporting those families who need it most.
“I pay tribute to the remarkable staff on-site whose expertise and commitment continue to make a profound difference to the lives of children and their loved ones. Every child and family deserves the very best of care, dignity and support, and CHAS plays an invaluable role in making that possible.”
CHAS Chief Executive Rami Okasha said: “We were delighted to welcome Ms Gilruth to Mina House for the official opening and to share more about the incredible work our teams do every day to support children with life-shortening conditions and their families.
"The move to Mina House means we can continue providing seamless care and support throughout the refurbishment of Rachel House. We look forward to welcoming families back to a transformed facility once the project is complete."
The £17 million project will deliver a significantly enhanced hospice environment at Rachel House, including a full roof replacement, upgrades to the hydrotherapy pool area and enhanced outdoor spaces with improved storage for children's bikes, toys and equipment.
The transformation is a key part of CHAS's £20 million More Than A Hospice Appeal, which aims to ensure no family faces the death of their child alone. As well as rebuilding Rachel House, improvements will also be made to Robin House in Balloch and CHAS services across Scotland will be expanded so more families can access specialist care and support where and when they need it most, whether at home, in hospital or in a hospice.