North West hospice warns specialist palliative care may be cut amid soaring energy bills

Report by Granada Reports' journalist Emma Sweeney

A hospice in Ashton-Under-Lyne - which provides free, specialist palliative care - is warning it may have to cut vital services because of the impact of soaring energy bills and the cost of living crisis.

Willow Wood Hospice cares for around 600 patients a year - both on its premises and in the community. But like everywhere, it has seen a recent dramatic rise in costs.

Chief Executive Karen Houlsten said: "The impact on us is that we may have to cut services, we may have to cut beds.

"We don't want to do that, we don't want to see any staff cuts. We want to continue the service that those people ... want and need.

"We owe it to them as members of our community who've supported us for the last 24 years."

Hospices like Willow Wood typically rely on charitable donations for around 70 - 80 % of their income. But in the midst of a cost of living crisis, it is becoming increasingly difficult for providers to raise those necessary funds.

When it comes to energy, the Government Energy Bill Relief Scheme has helped to offset some of those costs - but from April onwards, this will be replaced with a less generous Energy Discount Scheme.

Bosses at Willow Wood Hospice say although the new scheme will help to offer some relief, they fear it will not be enough and are calling on the Government to do more.

Next year, the hospice will need to find an extra £54,000 followed by a further £100,000 the year after.

Ms Houlsten added: "And it isn't just the energy costs, let's be honest: it's the food, the increase in purchases and the running costs of the organisation on the whole."

For some families, the idea that beds and services could be under threat in future, will be seen as unthinkable.

James Scanlan - whose father was a patient at Willow Wood Hospice before he passed away in October 2022 - said any cuts to services would be "absolutely devastating" to the local community.

Katie Reade, Policy and Advocacy manager for Hospice UK said: "Hospices are a critical partner to the NHS - not only do they deliver essential palliative and end of life care, but they also help acute services like hospitals by taking pressure off them and helping patients being discharged from these hospitals into hospice services.

"So at a time where our health and care system is under unprecedented pressure, the last thing hospices should be thinking about is reducing their services."

We contacted the Treasury for a comment, but we are still waiting for a response.