The Impact of “Ever-rising Costs” and Insufficient Funding on Local Hospices

Every 90 seconds, someone is diagnosed with cancer in the UK, and this creates a high demand for end-of-life care. Our mission is to support people with a terminal illness by helping them to live as well as possible, for as long as possible.

Teesside Hospice are facing a fundraising deficit of £150,000. Every day, they need to raise £5,500 to provide vital care services to those with terminal illnesses across our region. Without funding, hospice care is not sustainable. Although Teesside Hospice receives important support from the public through donations, fundraising and charity shops, it’s not enough with the rising costs.

Peter Gibson welcomed the Chief Executives of St Teresa’s Hospice, Teesside Hospice, Alice House Hospice and Butterwick Hospice Care. All Tees Valley MPs were involved in the meeting, with Mr Gibson being joined by Jill Mortimer MP for Hartlepool, Jacob Young MP for Redcar, Paul Howell MP for Sedgefield, Andy McDonald MP for Middlesborough, as well as representatives from the Offices of Simon Clarke MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, Matt Vickers MP for Stockton South and Alex Cunningham MP for Stockton North.

Representatives of the Hospices present outlined their concerns that they face a financial cliff edge, with funding through charity becoming increasingly difficult. The changes made in the Health and Care Act are an important step to giving Hospices funding security, however, they are yet to receive clarity on how local NHS commissioners plan to fund hospice and palliative care.

David Smith said: “Good quality, holistic hospice care makes a tremendous difference to individuals and whole families during some of the most difficult and traumatic times imaginable. Despite the enduring and generous support of our communities, our charities are now unable to meet the ever-rising costs of the specialist hospice care. With much of our work being done on behalf of and in partnership with the NHS, we urgently need our local NHS commissioners to follow their own national funding guidance before it’s too late and hospice services are forced to reduce or close. We hope the unified and robust support from all of the Tees Valley MPs will raise awareness of the precarious position we are in and focus minds on finding a solution before it’s too late.”

For further information about David’s visit to parliament and our mission, please contact marketing@teessidehospice.co.uk.