Hospice Funding

Debate between Baroness Merron and Baroness Winterton of Doncaster

Monday 6th January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

As I mentioned, it has been confirmed that there will be funding for children and young people’s hospices for the forthcoming year, which I know had been hoped for but not actually delivered. I am very glad that the Secretary of State was able to confirm that. On long-term sustainability, Minister Kinnock is very much looking forward to meeting major stakeholders and is working with NHS England to find the best funding mechanism, in respect of the £100 million capital grant and more generally.

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

My Lords, it is very good news that the commission is in the safe hands of Sir Mike Richards, who I worked very closely with when I was a Health Minister. Could my noble friend set out the ways in which the Government might assist the hospice sector with training, because there must be a crossover in the different tasks undertaken? In particular, could some of the changes announced for social care workers be transferred to the hospice movement?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

My noble friend makes a very helpful point that I will certainly follow up. The fact that the majority of hospice care is provided through the NHS suggests that there is room for further co-operation between the independent hospice sector and the NHS. I am grateful for her comments and will follow that up.

NHS Plan: Consultation

Debate between Baroness Merron and Baroness Winterton of Doncaster

Monday 2nd December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord. Yesterday, I was at an in-person event in Folkestone, and as with all such events up and down the country, it had used systems to find a wide range of people, including young people, who, as he rightly says, are often unlinked with the health service. I emphasise our continued monitoring and our efforts to reach the groups he speaks of. So far, we know that men, those aged under 35, and black Asian and black British people have engaged least with Change NHS. We are now stepping up our efforts.

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

My Lords, will my noble friend the Minister look at the role that pharmacists might play in any consultation? While they may not be an obvious source of reaching out, they are embedded in communities and talk to patients and users frequently. If they could be harnessed, it would much improve the consultation.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I am very grateful to all those, including pharmacists, who have used all their networks and contacts to spread the word. That is why we have had over 60,000 responses and more than 1 million visits in what is the largest ever consultation in the history of the NHS. I call on all groups to continue their efforts to ensure that voices across all communities are heard loud and clear.