Hospices: Finance

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. The funding will help hospices to provide the best end of life care to patients and their families in a supportive and dignified physical environment. Funding will help support hospices and deliver much needed improvements, including refurbishments, overhauling IT systems, and improving facilities for patients and visitors.

In February, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format, with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.

We recognise that there are geographical inequalities in access to palliative and end of life care and hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas. We are looking at how best to reduce these. It is our intention to work with sector stakeholders to ensure that everyone has access to the care they need, in the right place, at the right time, at the end of life.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty NHS England has published statutory guidance, which outlines areas for consideration when commissioning, which makes reference to improving equity of access and reducing inequalities in outcomes and experiences. This includes the completion of an Equalities and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment and action plan.