Hospices: Finance
(asked on 3rd February 2025) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will issue additional guidance to Integrated Care Boards on determining appropriate levels of funding for hospices to ensure equitable access to palliative care services across different regions.
In England, palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications for adults, and children and young people. ICBs are responsible for commissioning palliative and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations. Further information on palliative and end of life care services’ statutory guidance, the guidance for adults, and the guidance for children is available, respectively, at the following three links:
Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life, and their loved ones.
Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations that receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. The variation is dependent on demand in the area, and on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB footprint.
I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders on 3 February to discuss the long-term sustainability of palliative and end of life care, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.