Palliative Care

Whilst the majority of palliative care 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 supporting people at the end of life and their loved ones.

While the Government has made no assessment of the potential impact of changes in hospice services on NHS palliative care and end-of-life care services centrally, in February, NHS England wrote to all integrated care boards (ICBs) requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We are repeating this exercise, by asking ICBs and independent hospices, via Hospice UK, for an up-to-date assessment on their financial situation, risks, and mitigations.

In addition, the Government is developing a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End‑of‑Life Care, which will support improvements in the access, quality, and sustainability of services, and which will help ensure that high‑quality, personalised care is available across all settings. An interim update has now been published the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS88, with the full report due to be published in Autumn 2026.

The MSF will embed palliative care and end-of-life care within a strategic commissioning model that is centred on clear and transparent contractual arrangements for commissioned palliative care activity across all providers, including hospices, to meet population health needs, with explicit regard to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved and disadvantaged groups.