Help the Hospices, the leading charity supporting hospice care in the UK, welcomed the Conservative Party’s announcement today (21 December), that it will extend the emergency fund for children’s hospices and introduce fairer funding for adult hospice care.
The vast majority of adult and children’s hospices are independent local charities which provide a range of services to people living with terminal and life-limiting illness, and their families. These services are given free of charge to the public and hospices rely heavily on charitable donations and volunteers.
Jonathan Ellis, Director of Public Policy and Parliamentary Affairs at Help the Hospices, commented:
"It is hugely encouraging to see hospice funding firmly on the Conservative Party’s health agenda.
Fair and stable government funding would mean these vital local charities could reach more of the people who need hospice care. It would also enable local hospices to do even more to support people at home or in a hospice bed, rather than in hospital.
At a time of economic uncertainty, and with cuts in public services very likely over the coming years, we urge all political parties to recognise the contribution that independent charitable hospices make to providing high quality care which would otherwise be the NHS’ responsibility."
Local charitable hospices spend in the region of £500 million each year on caring for patients, families and carers at the end of life. The total NHS contribution towards those costs is estimated to be in the region of £130 million a year. There are currently huge variations in the level and proportions of funding hospices receive.
Ellis continues:
"A per-patient funding system for hospice care offers apparent simplicity. But we hope any future Government would ensure that the level of funding would meet the true costs of the care being provided."
ENDS
Media enquiries
Zoe Grumbridge
020 7520 8251 / media@helpthehospices.org.uk
Health services are funded separately by the devolved government in each UK nation. In England the government contributes an average of 32% of running costs for adult hospices (predominantly through Primary Care Trusts) and about 15% for children’s hospices – the rest has to be found by charitable fundraising (note: based on latest figures available). About 100,000 volunteers work in UK hospices, and hospices couldn’t do the work they do without them.
The NHS has a commitment to provide palliative care to people with life-limiting illness. Independent charitable hospices play a vital role, providing some 68% of adult inpatient palliative care beds in the UK as well as providing day care services and care in people’s homes. Hospices are not asking the Government to meet all their costs, but they have never received full and fair payment for the services that the NHS would otherwise have to provide. The gap between what hospices in England spend on NHS patients and what the NHS contributes is estimated at £150-200 million, and widening (note: health services are funded separately by the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales).
About Help the Hospices
Help the Hospices is the leading charity supporting hospice care throughout the UK. In particular we support our 213 hospice members in their vital work on the front line of caring for people who face the end of life.
The majority of hospice care is provided by our members - local charities rooted in the communities they serve. Hospices provide a wide range of care for people living with life-limiting and terminal illness and their families, from inpatient beds to day care and care for people in their own homes.
www.helpthehospices.org.uk
