BURY Hospice's troubled finances are back on track as bosses bid to develop its services.

The news comes in the wake of a shake-up to the charity's trustee board, after three members resigned.

Last November, hospice leaders released an open letter revealing the extent of its financial situation which had caused them to lay off staff and reduce some services.

It cited how the move to the new £5 million facility in Rochdale Old Road in 2013 had contributed to a £600,000 loss in the 2013/14 tax year.

New pre-audited figures for the 2014/15 tax year, which ended in April, show that the hospice has broken even, indicating that its overall financial position is much healthier than 15 months ago.

Increased support from fundraisers across the borough and beyond, and investment from Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have sparked the resurgence.

The hospice's chairman of trustees, Colin Greene, said: "This break-even position has been maintained for the first six months of 2015/16 financial year.

"The hospice is now striving to grow its income to allow it to be able to develop and increase the services it provides to the community of Bury."

Last week, Mr Greene wrote to all staff to reassure them that proper procedure had been followed after several former employees made formal complaints about colleagues.

The complaints were investigated last September by trustee Paul Lavin, who has since resigned from the board along with fellow trustees Sarah Brearley and Michael Ganley.

It is understood that some trustees wanted the hospice's chief executive Jacqui Comber to be suspended as a neutral act during the probe.

But the board decided not to do so as some trustees expressed concern that the hospice would suffer if no-one was able to take up Ms Comber's role in the short term.

Mr Greene said: "As in all organisations, from time to time, grievances are raised by an employee against another employee.

"It is good practice to have a grievance procedure available to all employees and it is entered into with the view to resolving the particular issue."

He added that, while it was disappointing to lose three talented trustees, the board had been "extremely fortunate to bring back an experienced former trustee who elected to retire for personal reasons".

He said the board was delighted with the response to the staff letter and recent positive feedback from the CCG.

Mr Greene said: "A recent visit from representatives of the CCG reported: 'Our visit to the hospice was really useful and it was a pleasure to meet and chat to such committed clinical staff.

"'Visitors and patients describe a caring environment and were very happy with the level of care received from the hospice staff.

"'We observed quality care being given by caring and compassionate staff nurses who were caring for patients with complex needs.'"

Cllr James Frith, who launched a Saving Bury Hospice Together campaign last year, said: “As I understand it, there are valued people providing services who are off work with stress because of the ongoing situation. I believe Jacqui Comber is also off ill.”

He added: “I think the people of Bury will want to see more than a press release about improvements being made when only a fifth of the beds are available for people to be treated in their final days."