It was great to welcome Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK, to the Hospice again last week.
We discussed the good progress made on our local NHS funding, largely thanks to our work with the West Yorkshire Hospice Collaborative. And how, despite this, we are still under financial pressure.
It seems every time our community gives more, there is a sudden increase to our costs (e.g. the National Insurance rise and energy bill increases) which means we still operate a deficit budget. Yet nearly 1 in 3 people who need palliative care miss out on the support they need.
This needs to change. Following the new Prime Minister’s recent comments on palliative and end of life care and our own supportive local MP, Yvette Cooper, becoming Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, we share the hope this will be the turning point the sector needs.
The dedicated, person-centred care we provide can help alleviate pressure on an already strained NHS.
Research shows specialist palliative care delivered in the community can save the NHS up to £8,000 per person, mostly by preventing or shortening unnecessary hospital admissions.
We have big ambitions to work in partnership at a neighbourhood level to do just that. Fair funding would let us achieve it.
Fair Funding for Hospices | Hospice UK
