Hospice Funding

Baroness Winterton of Doncaster Excerpts

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.