Pendleside Hospice and Lancashire and South Cumbria hospices welcome the recently announced government funding to contribute towards hospices’ building and equipment needs.  

 

This newly announced funding is a short-term measure of three months, which once spread nationally across hundreds of hospices will provide modest support with issues such as maintenance and hardware costs. However, it does not address the ongoing financial pressures facing hospices e.g. paying for the salaries of the hospice teams which represent approximately 80% of the costs to run 24/7 hospice care.

 

Without hospice care the NHS would face thousands of additional hospital admissions, GP appointments, District Nurse visits, therapy and counselling sessions etc. and an additional spend amounting to millions of pounds annually.

 

Helen McVey, Pendleside Hospice Chief Exec and Chair of Lancashire and South Cumbria Hospices Together, said: “We welcome any investment that helps with challenges such as hospice building repairs and IT equipement. Nonetheless, we are not allowed to use this funding for the salary costs of the specialist support given by hospice doctors, nurses and wider teams who provide care 24/7, 365 days a year e.g. in hospices, patients’ homes and neighbourhoods.

 

“That’s why we’re continuing to work closely with Lancashire South Cumbria Integrated Care Board on a joint business case for sustainable and long-term funding to help with years of care. The Integrated Care Board recognises the significant pressures facing hospices and the irreplaceable role hospice charities play in supporting tens of thousands of patients in the Lancashire and South Cumbria area.”

 

As a hospice Pendleside receives less than 20% of it’s funding from the NHS, the remainder is raised through charitable donations received by our incredibly supportive community, who without them we couldn’t carry out the important work that we do.