Context
Children's hospices face challenges in accessing funding from local NHS bodies and councils, addressing workforce shortages, and holding integrated care boards accountable for commissioning children's palliative care.
Question
I absolutely welcome the Government’s announcement last week that funding for children’s hospices will be extended for the next three years and will rise in line with inflation. Julia’s House is one such hospice that serves families in my constituency. However, children’s hospices still face challenges in accessing funding from local NHS bodies and councils, addressing workforce shortages and holding integrated care boards to account for the way in which they commission children’s palliative care, so what reassurance can the Minister give that children’s hospices will benefit from sustainable financial support both now and in the future?
Answer from The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)
I am delighted that Julia’s House hospice received £525,000 from the allocation. It is also worth noting that, of the £100 million allocation that we made to capital funding, £12 million went to children’s hospices. That is an increase on top of what we have just been talking about. Of course, there are challenging times for funding, but we have also provided the sector with a huge amount of certainty and stability.
Not addressed: Specific long-term sustainable financial support reassurance was not explicitly addressed
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