St Raphael’s Joint CEO and Finance Director, Nick Stevens, has responded to the Government’s announcement of a new modern service framework for palliative and end-of-life care.
Nick says: “The plans outlined by the Government this week represent a positive step forward. They highlight the need to prioritise end-of-life care and to make meaningful improvements so that everyone can access high quality, specialist support, no matter where they live.
“It is encouraging to see hospices rightly recognised as essential providers of palliative care within the community, playing a key role in reducing hospital admissions and giving people greater choice about how they wish to be cared for at the end of their lives.
“However, the hospice sector is severely underfunded for the work it is already doing, and it is now reaching breaking point. Like hospices across England, St Raphael’s had to make £1 million of cuts and sadly reduce services for our local community. Two more hospices in every five are planning to do likewise.
“We hope the Government will recognise the urgency of addressing this funding crisis so that the sector is secured and enhanced to ensure that specialist palliative and end-of-life care is accessible for all, wherever and whenever it is needed.”