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Hospice and Palliative Care 2025-01-13
13 January 2025
Lead MP
Paul Kohler
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
NHSSocial Care
Other Contributors: 63
At a Glance
Paul Kohler raised concerns about hospice and palliative care 2025-01-13 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting time to support this important debate on hospice and palliative care. The crisis in hospice funding and concerns over provision were highlighted during a previous debate, emphasising the need to address these issues head-on. I commend the Government's £100 million investment but stress that it is only a short-term fix; long-term funding certainty is critical for securing the future of the hospice movement. The current model leaves hospices vulnerable to increased cost pressures and funding uncertainties, impacting their ability to provide essential services.
Kim Leadbeater
Lab
Spen Valley
Agrees that the focus on hospice and palliative care is welcome and overdue. Acknowledges the Government's £100 million investment as a step in the right direction, showing their commitment to supporting people approaching end of life.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Raises concern about staff burnout and its long-term impact on the NHS. Emphasises the need for more palliative care specialists and adequate resources to prevent burnout among hospice workers.
Luke Taylor
LD
Sutton and Cheam
Highlights regional inequalities in funding with examples of disparities between different ICBs, emphasising the need for core responsibilities within ICBs to address these issues. Suggests that one gift from a legacy covering running costs for five years illustrates the current system's imbalance.
Harpreet Uppal
Lab
Huddersfield
Welcomed the expansion of hospice funding as a crucial step but stressed that many hospices still face financial challenges. Highlighted the work of local hospices in Huddersfield and called for long-term commissioned funding to be part of the NHS plan.
Luke Charters
Lab
York Outer
Praised his hon. Friend's calls for more funding for hospices, emphasising their empathy and important work in supporting families.
Martin Vickers
Con
Brigg and Immingham
Praised local hospices such as Lindsey Lodge and Saint Andrew’s for providing superb care to his constituents. Raised concerns about the increasing financial pressures faced by hospices due to demographic changes, healthcare inflation, and staffing challenges.
Birmingham Erdington
Acknowledged the Government's decision to boost investment in hospices but stressed that this must be the beginning of long-term sustainable support. Highlighted the need for universal funding to eliminate postcode lotteries and ensure equitable access to end-of-life care.
Twickenham
Pays tribute to Mr Kohler for securing the debate and highlights the urgent need to address hospice and palliative care. Mentions Shooting Star children’s hospice in her constituency, praising its work but expressing concern over funding uncertainties due to employer national insurance rises. Calls on the Government to commit long-term funds ringfenced specifically for children's hospices.
Ian Byrne
Ind
Liverpool West Derby
Appreciates Mr Kohler’s debate and discusses the precarious position of the hospice sector, noting that government funding covers only a third of costs. Mentions Claire House and Zoe’s Place children's hospices in his constituency, highlighting the threat to Zoe’s Place last year due to lack of funds but ultimately saved by community efforts. Advocates for consistent, reliable government funding reflecting care cost and societal value.
Seamus Logan
SNP
Aberdeenshire North and Moray East
Commemorates Mr Kohler's initiative and personalizes the debate with a tribute to his niece working in hospice care. Criticises government for imposing employer national insurance contributions on independent hospices, describing it as an assault on current assisted dying practices delivered through palliative care.
Kohler
SNP
Wimbledon
The failure of the UK Government to offer mitigations in key public sector services is misguided and counterproductive. He highlights Marie Curie's work, criticises the funding cuts for hospices, and suggests alternative tax measures to fund these services.
Sarah Russell
Lab
Congleton
She pays tribute to local hospices in her constituency, welcomes the Government’s capital funding for hospices but asks for a revenue funding floor that is transparent, fair and consistent across the country.
Ben Spencer
Con
Runnymede and Weybridge
He emphasises the importance of palliative care beyond end-of-life support, paying tribute to local hospices in his constituency. He also highlights fundraising efforts that support these institutions.
Eastbourne
Promotes a fundraiser for St Wilfrid’s hospice and pays tribute to those supporting hospices through various means, including direct donations and organising events.
Liam Conlon
Lab
Beckenham and Penge
He speaks highly of St Christopher’s hospice in his constituency, mentioning its holistic approach to care. He also welcomes the Government's announcement of an extra £100 million for hospices.
Susan Murray
LD
Mid Dunbartonshire
Murray notes that palliative care in Scotland is largely provided by charities, with nearly a third of services delivered by non-NHS organisations. She highlights the financial burden on hospices due to increased national insurance costs and calls for additional Government funding to support these essential institutions.
Alison Hume
Lab
Scarborough and Whitby
Hume discusses the work of St Catherine’s hospice in her constituency, noting its extensive charitable operations. She argues for greater transparency in NHS funding allocation to hospices and advocates for a long-term strategy ensuring sustainable support.
Gregory Stafford
Con
Farnham and Bordon
Stafford outlines the critical role of hospices in end-of-life care, emphasising their reliance on charitable donations. He highlights disparities in funding between different regions and calls for clarity from the Government regarding national insurance contribution changes.
Gregory Stafford
Con
Farnham
He emphasised the importance of multi-year funding settlements, integration with the NHS workforce plan, and the need to address staffing shortages that are causing staff morale to decline. He cited a 19% vacancy rate for hospice nurses and warned that without urgent action, many hospices may close within a year.
Al Pinkerton
LD
Surrey Heath
He acknowledged the work of Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in his constituency and mine. He stated that the hospice requires £25,000 per day to maintain its services and needs multi-year funding settlements for financial security.
Southgate and Wood Green
He discussed two hospices in north London: North London Hospice and Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, highlighting the challenges they face regarding funding and bureaucracy. He called for increased NHS funding to reduce the reliance on charity, streamlined access to public funds through ICBs with clear timelines, and additional support for children’s hospices.
Sorcha Eastwood
Alliance
Lagan Valley
She highlighted issues around palliative care delivery beyond hospices. She mentioned her experience with cancer and the challenges faced by those suffering from blood cancers in dying at home. She expressed concern about the impact of national insurance contribution increases on community services.
Adam Jogee
Lab
Newcastle-under-Lyme
He paid tribute to the Douglas Macmillan Hospice, which provides care and compassion to many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across north Staffordshire. He emphasised the importance of ensuring that people can die well.
Laurence Turner
Lab
Birmingham Northfield
Emphasised the importance of valuing dignity at the end of life in hospice and palliative care. Cited a constituent’s grandmother's compassionate care from St Mary’s hospice, now Birmingham hospice, in Selly Oak. Discussed funding pressures causing worker shortages and strained service delivery. Highlighted public misunderstandings about palliative care reducing suffering and extending life. Welcomed new funding for children’s hospices but stressed the need for long-term certainty. Asked Minister to provide an update on restoring the children’s hospice grant or similar certainty measures.
Vikki Slade
LD
Mid Dorset and North Poole
Discussed the challenges faced by those with terminal diagnoses, including financial worries and distressing symptoms. Described personal experience of losing her mother to ovarian cancer, emphasising the need for care at home rather than in hospitals. Highlighted inefficiencies in NHS funding, citing a pilot programme that saved £765,000. Urged the Minister to meet with Clare Gallie from Lewis-Manning hospice to discuss transformative approaches.
Tewkesbury
Expressed support for the Liberal Democrat policy of exempting hospices from the NIC rise. Raised concerns about hospital admissions in the last year of life and proposed the Lewis-Manning anticipatory care model to prevent unnecessary admissions.
Jonathan Brash
Lab
Hartlepool
Emphasised the importance of Alice House hospice in Hartlepool, which requires £3.6 million annually with only 25% government funding. Cited Hospice UK report indicating that 20% of hospices were cutting provision due to rising costs and inconsistent financial support. Welcomed Labour Government’s recognition through £126 million announced in December but stressed the need for long-term commitments in NHS plan reforming hospice funding model.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Discussed the dire straits of palliative care system and highlighted Northern Ireland Hospice funding issues, with only 30% funded by government. Stressed reliance on volunteer fundraising for its services.
Mr Kohler
Emphasised the importance of addressing funding issues in palliative care and hospices, highlighting the strain on staff due to burnout and rising costs. Raised concerns about the need for better support as demand increases by up to 25% by 2048.
Robin Swann
DUP
South Antrim
Noted his previous role in allocating funding to help Northern Ireland Hospice during difficult times. Acknowledged the current strain on hospices due to rising costs and reduced fundraising abilities.
Brian Leishman
Lab
Alloa and Grangemouth
Challenged the notion that the NHS is broken, arguing it needs more funding. Called for an annual wealth tax as a solution. Highlighted the financial strain on hospices in Scotland due to cost of living crises and austerity measures.
Seamus Logan
Lab
Asked about the Scottish Government's ability to address funding gaps with given resources, suggesting that they need to do better within their current means.
Danny Kruger
Con
East Wiltshire
Called for improvements in palliative care before considering changes to assisted dying laws. Highlighted the impact of national insurance increases on hospices and called for a comprehensive review of the system.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Highlighted the negative financial impacts of national insurance increases on local hospices, urging the Government to reconsider such policies.
Julia’s House in Devizes
Children's Hospice
Discussed the significant deficit faced by Julia’s House due to budget changes and called for proper investment in palliative care within existing budgets.
Wolverhampton North East
Emphasised the importance of addressing funding issues and health inequalities faced by families accessing hospice and palliative care. Welcomed the Government's investment in hospices but advocated for equity in care.
Brackenridge
LD
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
Emphasised the need for consistent Government support for hospices to avoid negative impacts on healthcare services. Discussed local constituent's experience at Princess Alice Hospice.
Epsom and Ewell
Stressed the importance of fiscal policies not negatively impacting hospices, highlighting their role in supporting over 300,000 people annually. Mentioned constituent's husband’s experience at Princess Alice Hospice and the financial challenges faced by hospices.
John Slinger
Lab
Rugby
Expressed gratitude towards Myton hospices for their services in Rugby, advocating for additional long-term funding from Government and local ICBs to support hospice operations. Highlighted the importance of educating the public about hospice services.
Honiton and Sidmouth
Discussed financial struggles faced by hospices in Devon due to increased employer national insurance contributions, emphasising that some hospices do not receive funding from NHS Devon. Highlighted the need for direct revenue support rather than capital funding.
Jim Dickson
Lab
Dartford
Acknowledged the importance of hospice care services and welcomed the recent funding announcement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, including £100 million in capital funding improvements. Stressed the need for a sustainable financial model.
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
Asked about hospices that do not require capital but are in dire need of revenue support, highlighting the disparity in funding needs.
Dave Robertson
Lab
Lichfield
Robertson discusses the challenges faced by St Giles hospice, which had to close one of its wings and make redundancies due to financial strain. He appreciates Sean Collins's fundraising efforts for St Giles and highlights the importance of Government support in ensuring long-term sustainability. Robertson points out that St Giles receives just 18% of its funding from the NHS and calls for simplifying grant processes to ease administrative burdens on hospices.
Robin Swann
UUP
South Antrim
Swann acknowledges the importance of palliative care discussions and highlights a study indicating that many people feel their healthcare professionals are giving up on them when referring to palliative care. He advocates for a recurrent, guaranteed budget to support transformational decisions in health services and emphasises the dedication of healthcare professionals in hospices.
Phil Brickell
Lab
Bolton West
Brickell underscores the importance of ensuring that hospices do not rely on charitable donations for their funding. He mentions Bolton Hospice's struggle with a £1.2 million gap and appreciates support from local campaigns to reduce this deficit. He raises Corin and Tricia Dalby’s petition calling for redirecting FCA fines to the hospice sector, urging the Government to consider innovative solutions for sustainable funding.
Ellie Chowns
Green
North Herefordshire
Chowns pays tribute to St Michael's Hospice in her constituency and emphasises the importance of palliative care support at end-of-life stages. She highlights the dedication of volunteers and staff who provide critical support during challenging times.
Allison Gardner
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent South
Shares personal experience and emphasises the importance of trained palliative care staff being spread equally throughout the country. Welcomes Government commitment to funding hospices but calls for an end to inequality in service delivery.
Iqbal Mohamed
Ind
Dewsbury and Batley
Stresses that hospice and palliative care should be seen as integral parts of the NHS. Criticises current funding model, calling for secure long-term funding to ensure universal access.
Warinder Juss
Lab
Wolverhampton West
Notes inconsistencies in funding from ICBs and supports Government initiatives but calls for sustainable financial support for hospices. Emphasises the need to improve palliative care as an alternative to assisted dying.
Shockat Adam
Ind
Leicester South
Highlights disparities in access to high-quality end of life care and criticises current funding model. Calls for fair and sustainable national plan, quality standards, support for underserved communities, and ring-fenced children’s hospice grant.
Brian Mathew
LD
Melksham and Devizes
Calls on the Minister to provide additional funding to prevent cuts in services due to national insurance contributions. Urges for funds that our hospices need to avoid financial strain.
Chichester
Hospices, such as St Wilfrid’s in Chichester, are vital for community care and provide outstanding end-of-life support. However, they face rising costs and insufficient Government funding, with only 17% of their budget covered by NHS grants. Rising national insurance contributions add an additional burden of £210,000 to St Wilfrid’s. Hospices need immediate relief from NI increases and a sustainable long-term funding model to continue providing essential care.
Luke Evans
Con
Hinckley and Bosworth
Palliative care services, including hospices, hospitals, and primary care providers like district nurses, are crucial for ensuring dignified end-of-life care. Hospices face financial challenges due to rising national insurance contributions and need long-term funding solutions. The Government should assess the impact of assisted dying legislation on palliative care provision.
Kohler
Con
Wimbledon
Palliative care consultants in the NHS have Crown indemnity while those employed by hospices do not. This disparity costs staff thousands of pounds. The debate calls for the Government to consider addressing this issue.
Stephen Kinnock
Minister for Care
The Minister acknowledges the contributions made during the debate and praises the work done by those in hospice care. He highlights a £100 million capital funding boost and £26 million revenue funding to support children's hospices, aiming to improve end-of-life care through integrated services.
Danny Kruger
Con
Harrow West
Welcomes the announcement of funding but points out that hospices need not just capital money but also support for day-to-day running costs. Emphasises the importance of addressing both revenue and capital needs.
Harrow East
Expresses concern about cuts in Northern Ireland hospice beds, highlighting that while capital money is available, there must also be funding to run the system and provide beds. Urges for a comprehensive solution.
Jim Shannon
UUP
Strangford
Highlights issues with bed cuts in Northern Ireland hospices, emphasising that while capital money is available, there must also be funding to run the system and provide beds. Urges for a comprehensive solution.
Ben Spencer
Con
Sherwood
Asks the Minister to look into the impact of national insurance contribution rises on hospice care and provision, inquiring about how many hospices are running a deficit and will likely go into deficit due to these policies.
Gregory Stafford
Lab
Bolton West
Inquires if funding for palliative care will continue to be produced through Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) or if there will be a shift towards centralised funding. The Minister responds by stating that the balance between empowering ICBs and ensuring accountability is being navigated.
Ynys Mon
Questions whether the £26 million children’s hospice grant will be ringfenced, seeking assurances about long-term sustainability of funding beyond the one-year settlement. The Minister confirms that this is under discussion and acknowledges the need for stabilisation before addressing longer-term issues.
Government Member
Not specified in transcript
The Government recognises the need to protect small businesses and charities such as hospices, which is why it has more than doubled the employment allowance to £10,500. This ensures that over half of businesses and charities with employer national insurance contributions either gain or see no change next year. The debate also touched on assisted dying but focused primarily on funding issues.
Emphasised the need for a long-term funding plan for hospices and palliative care, expressing concern that short-term strategies are insufficient. He acknowledged the contributions of other Members who spoke at short notice but highlighted the necessity of a 10-year health strategy.
Government Response
The Government are committed to high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through end-of-life services. They will support palliative and end-of-life care services by shifting more care into the community. The debate highlighted disparities in funding and indemnity between NHS palliative care consultants and those employed by hospices. To address financial pressures faced by hospices, a £100 million capital funding boost and £26 million revenue funding have been announced for children's hospices. The Government will also establish a commission on the future of adult social care and monitor findings closely. The Government has acted to deliver the biggest financial contribution to hospices in a generation, with the autumn Budget delivering £22 billion. The employment allowance for businesses and charities has been more than doubled to £10,500.
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