£25 million to secure the future of hospices

Boris Johnson has announced a £25 million cash injection to protect hospices and palliative care services which support around 200,000 people at the end of their lives.

Building on funding already provided by the NHS, the new investment will help keep many of these facilities open and will also improve the quality of end of life care, ensuring people die as comfortably as possible. The funding will also support the sector in relieving workforce pressures as well as introducing new services – such as out-of-hours support, respite care and specialist community teams.

The hospice care sector supports more than 200,000 people with terminal and life-limiting conditions in the UK each year, as well as supporting tens of thousands of family members with bereavement support. NHS England announced plans in June to increase the children’s hospice grant to £25 million by 2023/24, from £12 million in 2019/20.

The Prime Minister said: “Seeing a loved one nearing the end of their life is one of the hardest things a family will ever experience, so it’s vital that we support our fantastic and hardworking hospice staff to deliver the highest quality palliative care. As Prime Minister I am making sure that today our hospices and palliative care services are given a £25 million boost to alleviate the everyday pressures faced on the frontline, helping to ensure they have the resources they need, when they need them.”

Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of Hospice UK, said: “We are pleased that the government has responded to Hospice UK’s call for extra funding for charitable hospices in England and recognises that many are currently overstretched, amidst rising service costs and increasing demand for the care they provide.

“While this funding boost is welcome and timely, many charitable hospices are facing grave, financial challenges in the long-term and need to raise over £1 billion a year in a very tough fundraising climate. As demand grows and costs increase, the need for funding rises every year. The support pledged today is an important first step to help protect the vital care provided by charitable hospices for people with life-limiting conditions and their families.”