Funding
Government contributions to hospice costs provide value for money. For every £1 contributed, hospices will raise and spend a further £2.21 on hospice care.
Statutory funding contributions vary significantly across the country. On average hospices receive 34% of their running costs from statutory sources, although this amount varies widely across the country.
Support for patients, carers, their friends and family
Hospices provide a variety of quality care and support for patients, carers, their friends and family.
- advice on conditions
- advice on support available
- complementary therapies
- bereavement support
Support during life
Hospice care allows patients, carers, friends and family to better understand a life limiting or terminal illness. It allows people to better manage symptoms and crises as they happen.
Statistically, people are more likely to die in their own home if they are cared for by a hospice.
Support after death
Hospice care offers support to carers, friends and family. Studies show that people who have access to such care adjust more rapidly to bereavement and often return to work much sooner.
Education
Hospices provide education and training to a variety of health and social care professionals in their community. This helps to raise the quality of care at the end of life for even more people.
Hospital admissions
People who are supported at the end of life are less likely to be inappropriately admitted to hospital.
Hospice care has the potential to have a substantial impact on the number of inappropriate hospital admissions. This could save the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds each year.
Unfortunately, the current and potential contribution of hospices to the health economy is often overlooked by commissioners.
