Extra £25 million pledged for palliative care welcomed as 'important first step'

The prime minister has pledged an extra £25 million for hospices and community services offering palliative care.

The move is designed to help alleviate workforce pressures within the palliative care sector and to prevent hospices around the country from closing. Currently, the sector is heavily reliant on charities for funding.

Extra funding designed to ‘support around 200,000 people at the end of their lives’

The announcement follows a campaign from Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of Hospice UK, and the company’s chair, Robert Peston. The Prime Minister held a reception at Downing Street last week, to thank hospice front line staff for their work.

Mr Johnson 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.”

The money will support around 200,000 people at the end of their lives, as well as supporting tens of thousands of family members with bereavement support, according to the Government.

‘Many hospices and palliative care providers are facing acute financial pressures’

The Government confirmed the £25 million in 2019/20 will be funded from existing budgets.

Mr Peston said: "Many hospices and palliative care providers are facing acute financial pressures and are struggling to meet the growing need for their desperately important services.

"This injection of new funds by the Government could not have come at a more critical time. It will help many, but it will not completely alleviate the serious funding problems facing a swelling number of charitable hospices."

Ms Bleakley 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 £1billion 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.”

‘NHS is committed to caring for you from cradle to grave’

The Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Matt Hancock added: “End of life is vitally important, and our NHS is committed to caring for you from cradle to grave.

"This cash boost will protect our precious hospices and palliative care services so people across the country will have the best, most personalised and dignified choices when they die.

“We should expect the highest quality support, so we can spend the last days of our life with our loved ones, dying with dignity in the way that we want to.”