Hospices’ ‘grave concerns’ over funding squeeze
TWO leading Tyneside hospice charities have shared “grave concerns” about a national funding squeeze.
Bosses at St Oswald’s and Marie Curie in Newcastle have both warned about rising costs and a huge deficit across the sector – with one suggesting that this puts care provided at risk.
This comes as the national Hospice UK organisation highlighted how there is estimated to be a “devastating” £77m financial deficit across hospices collectively around the country.
Hospices UK has also said rising staff costs were a serious issue against the backdrop of high inflation.
The Government said it had recently provided an extra £60m in funding to some hospices to go towards one-off payments to staff – but across the sector years of below-inflation funding rises have been criticised.
Last year, Hospice UK found funding had fallen £47m in two years, in real terms. A backbench business debate on this issue in the House of Commons had been due on Monday, but this was postponed.
Speaking in response to the latest Hospices UK figures, Steph Edusei, chief executive at St Oswald’s Hospice, said: “We very much welcome the Hospice UK Report which details the grave concerns we have around the lack of hospice funding across the UK.
“We were disappointed that the parliamentary debate had to be postponed as it will provide an important opportunity to discuss the vital work that hospices across England do, while sharing the significant and pressing funding challenges that many of us in our sector are facing.
“At St Oswald’s Hospice, around a third of our running costs to provide care to patients across the North East, including babies, children, young adults and adults and their families, comes from public funding.
“And this proportion is decreasing year on year, as the uplift is never in line with inflation. This then leaves around two-thirds to be financed by our dedicated community of fundraisers, donors and supporters.
“St Oswald’s Hospice joins calls to government to urgently address the reported £77m deficit UK hospices are facing so that, as a sector, we can continue to provide vital care to patients and their families.”
And at Marie Curie, Victoria Wharton – the charities associate director for strategic partnerships and services in Yorkshire and the North East – said the fundraising demands were becoming ever-starker. She said: “Our hospice in Newcastle needs to raise over £9,100 every single day of the year to ensure that we stay open. We achieve this thanks to the enormous goodwill of local people who tirelessly raise money to fund essential care for dying people. But this funding model is fragile.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “While the majority of palliative and end-of-life care is provided via GPs, hospitals and community health services, we recognise the incredibly valuable role the charity sector plays in providing hospice care and supporting loved ones.”