Hospice UK has today welcomed the announcement of the allocation of the first £25m of additional government funding for the hospice sector in England, following the announcement late last year of an £100m funding package.
Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK, said: "The announcement before Christmas of £100m of additional funding for hospices in England was a significant boost, and today's news of the allocation of the first £25m of this funding will be a huge relief for our members. "Several years of rapidly rising costs have curtailed the extent to which hospices have been able to invest in their infrastructure for the longer term. This additional support will enable them to do so - and relieve the immediate pressures on hospice finances. "The hospice sector is ready to support the government's ambition to shift more care into the community. This couldn't be more important for people approaching the end of life, when it's vital to have the right care, in the right place. "The greater stability provided by the government's funding injection this year and next gives us a golden opportunity to now reform the palliative and end of life care system, so it's fit for the future."
The initial £25m funding, which is being distributed via Hospice UK to eligible hospices this financial year (2024-5), will be followed by a further £75m next financial year (2025-6).
The capital funding is designed to help hospices improve their physical environment, improve efficiency by investing in digital technology, and increase hospices’ capacity to care for patients at home. The funds will help alleviate significant budget pressures in the sector.
Paul Bytheway, Chief Executive of Birmingham Hospice, said: "This additional funding is a boost after a very challenging year for Birmingham Hospice. We appreciate the government's acknowledgement of the significant operating pressures the hospice sector has been under, and we welcome any investment that helps us to continue delivering services to those in our communities who need it most."
Elinor Eustace, CEO of St Giles Hospice, in Lichfield, Staffordshire said: "We are incredibly grateful for this vital funding from the government, which comes at a crucial time for St Giles Hospice. This support will enable us to make meaningful improvements to our Inpatient Unit, enhancing the experience for patients and their families during what can be an incredibly difficult time. From upgrading patient facilities to improving our family spaces, this investment will help ensure we can continue providing the highest quality end-of-life care for our local community.
"While this immediate funding is essential and deeply appreciated, we remain focused on working with partners to develop sustainable long-term solutions for hospice care funding. Every pound invested in hospice care makes a real difference to families across our region when they need us most."
Lisa Hunt, Chief Executive of Garden House Hospice Care in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, said: “Our costs have been increasing significantly in recent years as we grow our services to address the inequalities in accessing palliative care.
“The acknowledgement of this pressure from the government is welcome and will make a real difference - helping us achieve our goal to keep patients out of hospital. We are eager to continue supporting the government's mission to move more care into the community."
Hospice UK continues to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to secure long-term reform of how end of life and palliative care services, including those delivered by hospices, are funded.
The news in England follows announcements of recurrent funding for hospices in both Scotland and Wales in recent months. As well as commitments by these governments to develop sustainable funding and commissioning frameworks for the sector.
