Fair funding for hospices

Hospice UK are campaigning for fair funding for hospices

Hospices in England are on the brink. Surging costs have led to many services being cut back at some hospices – just as demand is rising, fast, because of our ageing population. As it stands, nearly 60% of hospices in England have either made or are considering cuts to frontline services. The situation is not sustainable – and time is running out.

That’s why we’re standing with Hospice UK to call for fair funding for hospices.

Hospices UK's four-point plan for fair funding

Hospice UK's four-point plan aims to secure the future of hospice care.

Full funding of specialist palliative care provided by hospices. Whether in inpatient units, in patients’ homes, in outpatient clinics or through in-reach services within hospitals, the specialist palliative care, advice and assessment hospices provide should be fully funded by local NHS commissioners.
Proper NHS contracts for hospices. Too often, the state’s contribution to the cost of hospices’ services is through grants which don’t reflect the true cost, and which are based only on historical precedent. Hospices should be on NHS contracts which are fair, multi-year, have regular reviews and increase in line with rising costs. These should be based on agreed national cost models. Contracts should be flexible in response to the changing care needs of a local population and meet rapidly growing demand.
Funding to cover the cost of NHS pay rises for hospice staff. When pay deals are agreed for NHS staff, hospices must receive the funding needed to give their staff a pay rise too. Right now, they don’t – leaving hospices to plug the gap with already limited funds.
National accountability for equitable provision of palliative care, wherever you live. Where you live should not determine whether you get the palliative care you need. Government must take action to guarantee fair, consistent provision across the country.

These changes would stem the wave of cutbacks to hospice services we have seen in the past two years.

They would open up significantly more community palliative care capacity to underpin the government’s vision for neighbourhood-based care – allowing hospices to better meet the growing needs of our ageing population.

And they would help guarantee, as a critical safeguard, should assisted dying ever be legalised in the UK, that good quality palliative care was available for all who need it.

>> Find out more about the Hospice UK campaign here.