THE new hospice aims to make the move from child to adult smoother, to build relationships as early as possible.

The Evening Times-backed Brick By Brick Appeal will help the hospice raise the £15million it needs to move to a new purpose-built facility on a proposed site next to Bellahouston Park which will allow it, for the first time, to offer care for those aged 15 and over.

The hospice recognises there is a growing need for palliative care services specifically designed for young people and their families.

Many young people are now living longer with conditions that used to be limited to childhood and the population of young people with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions is growing.

There are also other conditions that are more specific to young people, such as some types of cancer, or progressive neuro-muscular conditions.

"Children's hospices and similar organisations in Scotland acknowledge that their client group is getting older, many are in their 20s and early 30s, and they really laid down the challenge to adult hospices – and we've taken it up," says Libby Milton, the hospice's project clinical advisor.

"In order to do this we need both age appropriate facilities and the right approach to support young people and their families.

"We would love to hear more views of young people and their families about how they think an adult hospice might help support them – please get in touch!"

The hospice is currently working with a number of young people's agencies to ensure that the new hospice will address their needs, everything from clinical care to social interaction.

"We want to make it suitable for all ages because we are aware there's a population of young people in Glasgow that require palliative care and we just feel our facilities aren't suitable for that and we need to modernise them," said Rhona Baillie, chief executive of the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice.

"We'll be delivering all the services we do just now in the new facility but lowering our age group.

"Currently it starts at 18, so we're planning to transition these young people over to us between the ages of 15 and 18 which means introducing them to adult services to help them used to it.

"We believe this development will be a major step forward in the provision of palliative care services to the people of Glasgow, and in particular will address a specific gap in the availability of care for young people who can be lost in the transition between children and adult health services."

One of the organisations the hospice has been working with is PAMIS (Promoting A More Inclusive Society) a Scottish charity which supports people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and complex health care needs, their parents and carers to understand what this younger age group will require from the new build.

Elizabeth McBride is the project officer for PAMIS' Futures Project which operates within Glasgow city centre.

"My role is working with families who have children who are approaching transition, supporting them and helping them prepare as much as possible," said Elizabeth.

The earlier transition starts, the easier it is for all concerned.

"The transition from education to adult services is absolutely massive for parents and carers," said Elizabeth.

"There are lots of schools out there that cater for pre-school, primary and secondary all within the one building so there's a long-standing relationship in place with back up from healthcare professionals on site."

Elizabeth and Libby began working together a year ago: "We got involved with Elizabeth to ask her about her perceptions of care for this group of young people and she shared with us stories of those who struggled to find the expert care and support to ensure their health needs were met," said Libby.

"One of the very first things we did was hold a coffee morning where we invited service providers such as overnight respite and day centres to talk about caring for young people within an adult context, the challenges around that and identifying the gaps."

SHE continues: "When a young person's condition begins to change sometimes it happens very suddenly and there is no warning, but there is a group where you're aware that they're less well and having multiple admissions to hospital.

"Their health needs are changing and becoming more complex but what is missing at that point is actually somebody recognising that.

"It's understanding exactly what the needs are now but also anticipating what might be ahead."

Elizabeth added: "It's looking at all these issues and having professional skilled workers who can discuss the individual's needs but also the family's needs, and can look further down the line."