Hospices

Francis House Children's Hospice

390 Parrswood Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 5NA

Overview

Francis House Children's Hospice is a specialist palliative care facility located in Didsbury, Manchester, serving children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across the North West. The organisation provides comprehensive support to patients and their families, offering both inpatient respite care and community-based services designed to improve quality of life and provide comfort during difficult times.

The hospice delivers a range of services including symptom management, pain relief, emotional and psychological support, and practical assistance for families. Staff work closely with NHS partners and other healthcare providers to ensure coordinated, compassionate care. The facility features comfortable accommodation and recreational spaces designed specifically for children and young people.

Francis House operates as a registered charity and relies on fundraising and donations alongside NHS funding to maintain its services. The organisation plays a vital role in the local community, supporting families at all stages of their child's condition and providing bereavement support following loss. The hospice is recognised as an important resource for families seeking specialist paediatric palliative care in the region.

Frequently Asked Questions

Francis House Children's Hospice in Manchester provides specialist palliative care for people with life-limiting conditions. Services may include inpatient care, day hospice services, hospice at home (care in your own home), outpatient clinics, bereavement support for families, lymphoedema clinic, complementary therapies, and counselling. All care focuses on comfort, quality of life, and dignity. Contact 0161 434 4118 for information about available services.
Yes, all hospice care at Francis House Children's Hospice is provided free of charge to patients and their families, regardless of financial circumstances. Hospices receive some NHS funding but rely heavily on charitable donations, fundraising, retail shops, and legacies to fund their services. It costs millions of pounds each year to run a hospice, with a significant proportion raised through community support.
Referrals to Francis House Children's Hospice are usually made by your GP, hospital consultant, or district nurse. You or your family can also contact Francis House Children's Hospice directly on 0161 434 4118 to discuss a referral. Referrals are based on clinical need — anyone with a life-limiting condition can be considered. You do not have to have cancer to be referred; hospices care for people with any advanced illness including heart failure, COPD, motor neurone disease, and dementia.
No, hospice care is not just about end-of-life care. Many patients visit Francis House Children's Hospice for symptom management (pain relief, breathlessness, nausea), rehabilitation and support to stay as well as possible, respite stays to give carers a break, and day hospice activities and therapies. Some patients attend for weeks or months and then return home. Hospice care aims to help you live as fully and comfortably as possible.
Francis House Children's Hospice supports people with any life-limiting condition, not just cancer. Conditions include advanced cancer, heart failure, COPD and other lung diseases, motor neurone disease (MND), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, advanced dementia, kidney failure, and liver failure. Referral is based on clinical need, and the hospice team works alongside your GP and hospital team.
Francis House Children's Hospice may offer a Hospice at Home service, bringing specialist palliative care to patients in their own homes. This may include visits from specialist nurses, overnight care and sitting services, symptom management, practical support, and emotional support for patients and families. Hospice at Home allows people to be cared for and, if they wish, to die in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
Yes, Francis House Children's Hospice provides bereavement support for families and loved ones after a patient has died. This may include one-to-one counselling, bereavement support groups, telephone support, memorial services, and children and young people's bereavement services. Support is available regardless of whether the person died at the hospice or elsewhere. Contact 0161 434 4118 for information about bereavement services.
Yes, Francis House Children's Hospice can help you with advance care planning — documenting your wishes for future care. This may include an Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (living will), Lasting Power of Attorney for health and welfare, preferred place of care and death, and a ReSPECT form (Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment). Having these conversations and documents in place ensures your wishes are known and respected.
The day hospice at Francis House Children's Hospice provides a programme of care and activities for patients who live at home. You may attend one or two days per week for medical review and symptom management, complementary therapies (massage, aromatherapy, reflexology), creative activities (art, music), social interaction and peer support, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, and psychological support. Transport to and from the day hospice may be arranged.
Francis House Children's Hospice may offer complementary therapies including massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, Reiki, acupuncture, mindfulness and relaxation, creative arts therapy, and music therapy. These therapies complement medical treatment and can help with pain, anxiety, sleep, and overall wellbeing. All therapies are provided by qualified practitioners and are free to patients.
You can support Francis House Children's Hospice by making a donation, volunteering your time, shopping at or donating to charity shops, taking part in fundraising events, leaving a gift in your will (legacy giving), organising your own fundraising activity, or becoming a regular donor. Contact 0161 434 4118 or visit the website to find out more about supporting your local hospice.
Yes, Francis House Children's Hospice welcomes visitors and families. Visiting is usually flexible, with no strict visiting hours in the inpatient unit. Family rooms and overnight facilities may be available for relatives who wish to stay close. Children are welcome to visit. The hospice environment is designed to be calm, comfortable, and homelike. Staff will support families throughout their loved one's stay.
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Contact Details
Address
390 Parrswood Road, Didsbury
Manchester
M20 5NA
Social Links
Opening Hours
Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00
Saturday 09:00 - 17:00
Sunday 10:00 - 16:00
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