MORE money is coming to Herefordshire to help with nursing and support for gravely ill children and their families.

About 12 children in the county are in this category at any one time and a grant of National Lottery money will expand the services available to them.

Most families with very sick children want them to stay in their own homes and the cash will help to make this possible.

Health authorities were invited to make a bid to the new opportunities fund for the money but because Herefordshire Primary Health trust was considered too small it joined forces with Worcestershire.

Now, Herefordshire and South Worcestershire have been awarded £400,000 to cover four years mainly to develop palliative care services.

Staff from both authorities will be meeting next week to confirm how best to spend the money but as far as Herefordshire is concerned its share is likely to be used to recruit more paediatric community nurses.

The PCT's Yvonne Clowsley, locality manager with responsibility for child health services and nursing services for children said the money was extremely welcome and would allow more flexibility in the provision of palliative care for children in the county.

Children with life threatening conditions needed a very special form of care which met their needs and recognised the enormous emotional stress affecting the whole family, she said.

The new grant allowed for development of the service already provided in Herefordshire and would enable increased access to other services such as occupational therapy and counselling.

The health authority will work together with South Worcestershire and will maintain links with the Acorns Hospice but most of the new money will be used to help children and families in their own homes.