🎄 Hospice Funding

Commons Chamber

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The government has announced a major funding boost for hospices, with £100 million for adult and children’s hospices and an additional £26 million specifically for children’s hospices. This investment aims to improve care environments and address long-standing funding issues in the sector. However, concerns were raised about whether the new funds will cover increased costs due to recent tax rises, such as national insurance contributions, which some hospices estimate will cost them significant amounts. The debate highlighted the critical role hospices play in providing end-of-life care and the ongoing financial pressures they face.

Summary

  • Dr Caroline Johnson urgently questioned the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about hospice funding, highlighting concerns over the sector’s financial stability and the impact of recent tax changes.

  • The government announced a significant investment in hospices, describing it as the largest in a generation. This includes £100 million for both adult and children’s hospices to improve physical environments and £26 million specifically for children and young people’s hospices for the year 2025-26.

  • This funding aims to support refurbishments, IT system upgrades, and security improvements at hospices to ensure better care environments for patients and families.

  • Concerns were raised about the effect of increased employer national insurance contributions on hospices, with some MPs questioning whether the new funding would offset these additional costs. The government did not directly confirm this but emphasized the overall increase in health sector funding.

  • Multiple MPs, including from opposition parties, expressed gratitude for the funding while highlighting the ongoing challenges and past underfunding in the sector. They stressed the need for sustainable funding and the importance of hospices being able to plan effectively.

  • The distribution of the funding will be handled by integrated care boards (ICBs), with some MPs seeking assurance that the funds would be used appropriately and reach the hospices directly.

  • The government reiterated its commitment to shifting more care into community settings, emphasizing the role of hospices in providing quality end-of-life care at home or in hospices.

  • MPs shared stories of the excellent care provided by local hospices and the importance of this care for their constituents, especially during the festive season.

  • The urgency of the question and the need for clarity and timely announcements were acknowledged by the Speaker, who also stressed the critical role of hospices in caring for the community.

Divisiveness

The disagreement in the session is primarily centered around the adequacy and impact of the newly announced hospice funding in relation to the recent increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs). The Minister, Karin Smyth, repeatedly touts the new funding as a major investment and a step forward to address long-standing underfunding issues. However, the opposition, including Dr. Caroline Johnson and several other Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs, challenge this perspective by arguing that the government is merely returning money it has taken away through increased NICs. They repeatedly ask for assurances that the new funding will fully offset the increased NIC costs, which the Minister does not directly address. The session is characterized by a strong back-and-forth, with the opposition expressing dissatisfaction and pressing for detailed answers on the funding’s sufficiency, while the Minister defends the government’s actions and emphasizes the overall increased health sector funding. The intensity and frequency of the exchanges indicate a high level of disagreement.