Fifth of UK hospices cutting services amid funding crisis, finds report
One in five hospices in the UK are cutting services amid the worst funding crisis in two decades, a report has warned, with soaring numbers of patients being pushed back into the NHS.
Research by Hospice UK found “small and wildly varying” state funding had failed to keep pace with growing demand and rising running costs.
That means inpatient beds are being cut, staff made redundant and community services restricted, with fewer visits to dying patients in their own homes, according to the charity, which represents more than 200 hospices across the country.
Hospice UK said the sector’s finances were in their worst state in 20 years. A fifth of hospices have cut or closed their services in the last year or are planning to do so, the charity said.
Toby Porter, its chief executive, said: “Too many hospices are in crisis. The small and wildly variable amount of state funding they receive has failed to keep pace with rising costs.
“Many hospices are therefore running deficits that can only mean one thing – more cuts to essential care services, or even service closures. We’re already seeing redundancies at some major hospices.”
Source: The Guardian, 16 July 2024