Welsh hospices in difficult climate, Minister acknowledges

The debate

In a well attended debate in the Welsh Assembly, Members from all sides commended the services which independent hospices provide. Trish Law (Independent, Blaenau Gwent), one of the participants, congratulated the Tredegar based Hospice of the Valleys for the “magnificent work its team does in providing care at home each year for around 500 patients suffering from cancer and other life-limiting illnesses”. She stressed she spoke from personal knowledge.

Trish Law went on to say that independent hospices “still do not have sustainable, long-term funding. It is an unacceptable year-to-year battle for survival”.

Responding, Minister for Health and Social Services Edwina Hart recognised “that these are difficult times for the voluntary sector in terms of fundraising, which is something that I will have to consider in getting the balance right for palliative care”.

Briefing

Hospices in Wales produced a briefing for Assembly Members. The Independent Hospices Cymru briefing:

• recognised the Assembly Government’s commitment to improving palliative care

• suggested that hospices have a key role to play if high quality patient care is to be available Wales-wide

• urged the Assembly Government to spell out the role it expects independent hospices to play in the future

• stressed the need for a longer term funding strategy for hospices in Wales.