Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the potential merits for a patient's care journey of increasing statutory funding for hospices.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Palliative and end of life care is commissioned locally by integrated care boards in response to the needs of their local population. Any assessment of patients’ care journeys, including whether to increase funding made available to palliative and end of life care providers, such as hospices, would therefore be made at a local level.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase long term funding for hospices.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning and determining the appropriate funding arrangements for palliative and end of life care services, including hospices, in response to the needs of the local population. In July 2022, NHS England published statutory guidance for commissioners on palliative and end of life care, setting out the considerations for ICBs in order to meet its legal duties.
Asked by: Tom Hunt (Conservative - Ipswich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent comparative assessment his Department has made of the equity of statutory income allocation for children's and adult’s hospice provision; and whether it is his policy that children's hospice funding should be equitable to funding for adult hospices.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning local services. NHS England and NHS Improvement expect CCGs to ensure that the provision of palliative and end of life care (PEoLC) services, including children’s and adult’s hospice provision, effectively meets the needs of the local population and ensures high quality personalised care.
NHS England is increasing its contribution to children’s PEoLC by match-funding CCGs which commit to increase their investment in local children’s PEoLC services, including hospices. This will increase support from £11 million to £25 million a year by 2023/24. In addition, over £400 million has been made available to adult and children’s hospices since the start of the pandemic to increase National Health Service capacity. NHS England and NHS Improvement are reviewing current models of care, commissioning pathways and financial formulas to ensure the sector support children, young people, their families and loved ones.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase funding for hospices.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
As part of the Government’s COVID-19 response, £257 million was made available to the independent hospice sector to increase discharge capacity and alleviate pressures on the acute sector. Independent hospices have since returned to business as usual funding arrangements, with their services commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). NHS England and NHS Improvement expect CCGs to ensure that the provision of these services effectively meets the needs of the local population and ensures high quality personalised care.
The NHS Long Term Plan also states that 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 provide £25 million a year by 2023/24.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 29 April 2021 to Question 179430 on Hospices: Finance, what recent assessment he has made of the financial sustainability of hospices; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Whilst the Department has not conducted a national assessment of hospice sustainability, we recognise the funding challenges facing the sector as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We and have worked with HM Treasury and NHS England and NHS Improvement to maintain hospice provision.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have also funded Hospice UK to explore sustainable approaches to future care delivery. The Hospice UK ‘Future Vision Programme - Discovery Phase’ report sets out a range of options for hospices to consider in exploring future sustainability, acknowledging that as most hospices are independent, charitable organisations their circumstances will differ. The report is available at the following link:
Palliative and end of life care services are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups in response to the needs of their local population. This includes an understanding of the sustainability of available services.
Asked by: Barbara Keeley (Labour - Worsley and Eccles South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for independent hospices.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
While there have been no specific discussions, the Government recognises the important role that the hospice sector played in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups, for providing local services.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commit to an urgent review into the level of statutory funding required for palliative care provided by independent hospices to ensure that those hospices can continue to provide care in the medium term.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of palliative and end of life care services, including hospices. The hospice sector has played a vital role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021.
The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement proactively engage with the whole sector on an ongoing basis to understand the issues they face and their views of upcoming needs and challenges. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for providing local services. CCGs are responsible for the planning and commissioning of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of their local population.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Clinical Networks, working closely with local commissioners, to develop and implement sustainable commissioning models for palliative and end of life care including hospice services that respond to the needs of their local population. This work includes the development of service specifications and an investment framework.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of levels of statutory funding for palliative care services provided by independent hospices for meeting projected future demand for those services.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of palliative and end of life care services, including hospices. The hospice sector has played a vital role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021.
The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement proactively engage with the whole sector on an ongoing basis to understand the issues they face and their views of upcoming needs and challenges. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for providing local services. CCGs are responsible for the planning and commissioning of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of their local population.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Clinical Networks, working closely with local commissioners, to develop and implement sustainable commissioning models for palliative and end of life care including hospice services that respond to the needs of their local population. This work includes the development of service specifications and an investment framework.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to increase statutory funding for clinical palliative care services provided by independent hospices.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the importance of palliative and end of life care services, including hospices. The hospice sector has played a vital role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic which is reflected by the provision of up to £280 million of additional funding from March 2020 to March 2021.
The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement proactively engage with the whole sector on an ongoing basis to understand the issues they face and their views of upcoming needs and challenges. Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations that receive some statutory funding, mainly from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for providing local services. CCGs are responsible for the planning and commissioning of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of their local population.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Clinical Networks, working closely with local commissioners, to develop and implement sustainable commissioning models for palliative and end of life care including hospice services that respond to the needs of their local population. This work includes the development of service specifications and an investment framework.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Sue Ryder Modelling demand and costs for palliative care services in England, published on 1 February, what plans they have to implement a long-term funding package for hospices.
Answered by Lord Bethell
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.