Shooting Star Children's Hospices’ Post

436,037 That's how many people who needed palliative care died in England and Wales last year. 🤯 The latest ONS data published this week shows there were 581,383 recorded deaths in England and Wales in 2023. 75% of people who die would have benefitted from palliative care before they died. Palliative and end of life care can support people with planning, managing their pain and other symptoms, providing emotional and psychological support, accessing treatment and therapies, spiritual care, meeting clinical and care needs, and supporting their families and loved ones before and after their death. Most community palliative care in the UK is provided by hospices like St Helena. Despite the Health and Care Act placing a statutory duty on ICBs to commission services to meet the palliative care needs of their population the majority of community care during peoples last months of life is subsidised by hospices through their retail, fundraising and commercial activities. In what other circumstance is it acceptable for a public sector body to state it is meeting its statutory obligations by funding only a minority of what is required to meet the need (and indeed the NHS's own national specification for palliative and end of life care). At St Helena only 20% of our income comes from NHS funding for palliative and end of life care. Yesterday I spoke with a colleague who is CEO of a similarly sized Californian hospice. They receive $30m of medicare funding for their hospice care and then fundraise $3m to support additional palliative care support that is outside of federal funding. Surely this is a much more civilised and sensible balance of funding? The state paying the majority, and charity topping up. We have it all wrong at the moment in this country. A high tax burden, unsatisfactory health and care, and people are still expected to give generously to charities simply to ensure they and their loved ones have a chance of accessing decent palliative and end of life care when they need it. This #hospicecareweek thank you to everyone who supports their local hospice. Without you we simply wouldn't be here.

Sometimes when you care so much about the difference you can make in your role, you miss the basics. Sometimes it’s necessary to take a step back and re-realise what others may not. There are so many things most people just don’t know about their local hospice. 👉 Willen Hospice services are completely free of charge to anyone in our local community who needs them. 👉Willen at Home care for around 200- 300 patients a month in their own homes. 👉 Willen is a registered charity. 👉We are not fully funded by the NHS. 👉There is inequity in the levels of NHS funding for hospices around the country. 👉 Willen Hospice receives just 15% ongoing NHS funding where our counterparts may receive as much as 60%. 👉 We have to rely on our amazing local community to raise 85% of the funds needed to provide our free services. These are the reasons you may hear from Willen Hospice Milton Keynes frequently and why we ask for so much. Yet we shouldn’t have to. #HospiceFunding #FundingCrisis #TeamWillen

So important this national discussion continues

So last night, MPs in the House of Commons debated for nearly 3.5 hours about hospice funding, and the urgent need for a more sustainable and reliable funding structure for hospices, starting at government level. The passion in the House was clear, MPs spoke from their hearts, sharing personal stories and urging this to be just the start of this important conversation. The debate was concluded by Helen Whately, the minister who has oversight for end of life care throughout the UK. In her own words "How you die, how your loved ones die, and indeed how you live, matters." Closely followed by saying that most palliative and end of life care is provided by hospitals and not hospices. If how I die matters, It certainly shouldn't be in a clinical hospital ward. I want to be surrounded by my family, listening to my favourite music in a homely and calm setting. Hospitals cannot deliver that. Although many MPs spoke about them running the London Marathon last weekend for their local hospice, and that this surely shouldn't be how hospices are funded, she congratulated them and said that fundraising for hospices is important. No hospice is looking for 100% funding. Being a charitable cause allows us the flexibility to add life to patient's last days. But without more sustainable and reliable funding from central government, services will have to look very different across the UK, with the cost going back to the NHS. Hospice UK reports that adult hospices receive on average on third of their income from the NHS, for Weldmar Hospicecare that's just 17%. We need to raise £27,500 every single day, on top of the money we receive from the NHS. If we were funded at the national average of 30%, we would not be facing a near £1M deficit this year. We will continue lobbying and campaigning for fairer and more sustainable funding. We will do everything we can to protect our services that are vital to so many people (not to mention the NHS) across Dorset. We would like to thank one of our three MPs, Chris Loder, who took the time to speak at the House of Commons last night, raising the awareness about the wonderful services that Weldmar Hospicecare provides. #Hospice #Hospicecare #Dorset #ThirdSector

Understanding financial assistance for hospice and palliative care can be overwhelming. Check out this comprehensive guide from Compassion Crossing for valuable insights and resources to ease the financial burden during these challenging times. Learn more about programs, charitable organizations, and government support available to help you and your loved ones receive the care you deserve. 💙 Read the full guide here: https://lnkd.in/gKZS3kcP #HospiceCare #PalliativeCare #FinancialAssistance #1CareHospice #CompassionCrossing

Hospice responds to End of Life Bill and the increasing dependence placed on charities for end of life support Following the announcement, Dr Stephen Oxberry, Medical Director for The Kirkwood, summed up the view from the Kirkwood "Throughout the debate over the last few months, including today, it is clear how passionate people are that they and their loved ones should have access to the best possible palliative care and support as they approach the latter stages of their lives – and that they should be afforded the opportunity to die well. Sadly, the debate has highlighted many lived examples across England and Wales where this has clearly not been the case.   "This debate has shone a spotlight on the significant lack of resources available to support people with terminal illnesses as they approach the end of their life within the current NHS health and social care system. It has also served to further emphasise the scale of dependence placed on charities to try to provide services for people approaching the final stages of their lives, which will become increasingly unsustainable without further support from the government.   "Whichever side of the debate you have been on, we all share common goals in prioritising and making improvements to existing palliative and hospice care to allow better care in the final stages of life.   "Let's work together to keep the focus on ensuring everyone affected by a life limiting illness has the opportunity to access high quality palliative and end of life care, is given the support that is right for them, and is supported to die well; not limited by under-investment and under-resourcing." Victoria Tomlinson FRSA Beverley Shaw Michelle C. #thekirkwoodhospice #assisteddyingbill

"...the #hospice industry began with small, #nonprofit providers whose mission was to care for the dying and assure that they faced the end of life with dignity. But the industry has evolved in ways that the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services may not have been prepared for. Now, FOR-profit hospices dominate the industry. Research shows that, on average, the quantity and quality of care suffer in for-profit hospices compared to nonprofit providers...” https://lnkd.in/e-Fp6GnP

Death - we only get 1 chance to get it right- How do we ensure it is sustainable? What a sad reality of current circumstances. Hospices are facing financial difficulty impacting on dignity in dying and less resources for those needing these holistic provisions. In reality - hospice services are reducing yet the need is increasing. #Charities #Hospices #DignityInDying #ChildrensHospice #HealthAndSocialCare #DelphiCareSolutions https://lnkd.in/eB6zw-vW

To help little Myles from Hope House and the 300,000 people who need to access the UK hospices, we must act together. As a supporter of several hospices, it is heart-breaking to see many who have invested time and fundraising to keep hospices open struggle to cover the basic operating costs. Some have tirelessly fundraised to build precious rooms left empty because they cannot fund them due to cost constraints, placing added burden on donations. It is shocking, despite the reality that a well-funded hospice sector would ease the pressure on NHS and social care, hospices only receive between 20-33% of state funding. The hospice sector already faces a £70 million black hole and so as there are hundreds of millions in annual FCA fines which go into the government pot and generally as a result of an injustice to the UK people who may benefit from the services offered by hospices, there is no better way to complete the circle by allocating these funds to the UK hospice sector. https://lnkd.in/dAesNS67

UK Hospice Awarded £100 Million for Upgrades Hospice across the UK have been provided with inputs of £100 million in order to enhance provision for adult and children’s hospices. A further £6.25 million will also maintain the Children’s Hospice Grant in 2025/26. This funding will assist in improving the care and support provided to families and patients in these crucial services. Hospice UK Visit: https://lnkd.in/gh8Uapdf #HospiceCare #UKHospices #ChildrensHospices #AdultHospices #HealthcareFunding #PatientSupport #FamilyCare #ImprovingCare #HealthcareServices #ChildrenHospiceGrant #FundingForCare