'Lives are worth something': Hospices tell ITV News of funding crisis

ITV News' Chris Choi and Hannah Kings spoke to those at the heart of UK hospices' funding crisis, as institutions are forced to close vital beds

The UK’s hospices are facing a funding crisis.

Every year, they provide care and support to over 300,000 people with serious illnesses, but research by ITV News shows some hospices have already been forced to reduce services and make staff members redundant, and many more are facing the prospect of having to do the same.

Hospice UK – which represents the sector – is calling on government to take urgent action to support hospices – which now rely on donations for most of their funding.

Hospice UK says 96% of hospices are expecting a budget deficit in the coming year – adding up to a total shortfall of £186 million.

That could have serious consequences. 

Rosie, a patient at Bolton Hospice, invited us to see the difficulties facing them.

They are worried they will have to reduce services by 40%.

Dr Leigh Vallance, the Chief Executive of Bolton Hospice, told us: "I cannot continue with a £1.2 million hole in my bucket, but be reassured that I’m doing everything possible to try to address it."

Dr Vallance says that without more funding from the NHS, she is likely to have to close six beds.  

Other patients at Bolton Hospice explained how valuable their care is - outpatient Betty Chappell told us of the moment she read about possible cuts in the local newspaper.

“I just couldn’t believe it – I just could not believe it," she said.

"I showed it to my son and he said, 'Oh Mum, that’s dreadful – absolutely dreadful.'"

ITV News has found that other hospices are in a similar situation: in York, St Leonard’s Hospice has a deficit of around £1 million.

Springhill Hospice in Rochdale told us it is facing more than £1 million of deficit.

Alice House Hospice in Hartlepool has had to close its Long-Term Care Unit due to its budget deficit.

Prospect Hospice in Swindon had to close beds in the pandemic and is still struggling.

The Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted has made three members of staff redundant and closed two beds.

Chief Executive of the Hospice of St Francis, Kate Phipps-Wiltshire, says: "It might not sound a lot to say that we’ve closed two beds, but that’s 66 people that won’t be able to come into a hospice bed, if that’s what they want to do, this year."

Lee Farrell is a patient who arrived at Berkhamsted Hospice just over three weeks ago.

He told us about the huge difference they have already made to him. "For people who have come to the end of their life, they give them the most comfortable time that they can really, and they do that – they definitely do."

We arranged for Rosie to speak to Sarah Hart MP – a conservative member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care.

She told Rosie that the group is calling for more government funding for hospices but said, "You’re right they’ve had to cope with the increased cost of living, the increase in energy costs, and everything else.

"We’ve really got to highlight the fact that the government has created an extra £1.5 million to the NHS in order for funding the integrated care boards for them to provide support to hospices."

When Rosie asked how it would look if hospices closed, services were reduced, and people were dying alone or in pain at home, Ms Hart MP told Rosie: "We would never allow that to happen."

A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care told ITV News: "We have made over £400 million available to hospices since 2020 to secure and increase additional NHS capacity and enable hospital discharge, ensuring hospices can continue to deliver care to those who need it.

"NHS England will again be making £25 million available in the next financial year to support the children's hospice sector through grant funding."

For Rosie though, the situation facing hospices is still a huge concern.

"My worries are, I’m going to end up – perhaps not me, but people coming after me – without the support that they rightly deserve, and need," she said.

"Lives are worth something. We’ve all come into the world equally, and we should have the care and support going out of this world."

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