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 ensure that children’s hospices receive notice of their individual 2020-21 NHS England children’s hospice grant allocation in time to inform their budget planning for that year.
NHS England has committed to increase the national grant funding from £12 million to £25 million a year by 2023/24. The planned grant allocations by financial year are as follows: 2020/21 £15 million; 2021/22 £17 million; 2022/23 £21 million; 2023/24 £25 million.
NHS England is undertaking a review of the current grant allocation formula which is due to complete by the end of this year. Following agreement with the sector, it is planned to notify the 2020/21 grant allocations prior to the start of 2020/21 financial year in line with National Health Service operational planning processes.