Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to establish a long-term funding model for children’s hospices.

In line with requirements set out in the Health and Care Act 2022, commissioning sustainable palliative and end of life care that meets the needs of the local population, including from children’s hospices when appropriate, is the responsibility of integrated care boards.

To support integrated care boards with this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance which outlines support for commissioning at a system level, as well as service specifications for children and young people’s palliative and end of life care.