Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to increase regional availability of palliative, respite, and end-of-life care to babies and infants by supporting the establishment of more baby and infant-specific hospices.

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for the commissioning of end of life and palliative care services. CCGs develop strategic clinical plans covering a wide range of health care services based on their local population needs. This includes specialised care for babies and infants with complex needs at children’s hospices.

Within the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England is increasing its contribution to the national children’s hospice grant by match-funding CCGs who commit to increase their investment in local children’s palliative and end of life care services including children’s hospices. This will increase funding from £11 million to a combined total of £25 million a year by 2023/24.