St Oswald’s Hospice joins calls to UK Government and NHS England to maintain lifeline funding

The grant is a vital source of funding for children’s palliative care services, which offer a lifeline to children, young people and their families across England.

It also helps hospices across the country take the pressure off the NHS to meet the needs of a growing population of babies, children and young adults with life-limiting conditions.

Together for Short Lives, which is spearheading the campaign, estimates that there is a £300 million funding gap in the children’s care sector of England, and warns the end of this key source of funding could have “potentially devastating consequences for children, families and the NHS.”

Together for Short Lives, along with representatives from children’s hospices across England, invited MPs and Ministers to a round table meeting to discuss the future of the grant.

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Andy Fletcher, Chief Executive of UK-wide children’s palliative care charity Together for Short Lives, said: “Together with hospices like St Oswald's across England, we have been calling on the Government and NHS England to maintain the grant, which is a vital source of funding for hospices.

We are grateful to the MPs and Ministers who took the time yesterday to speak to us in Westminster and hear our concerns about the grant ending, the challenges of distributing the grant through Integrated Care Boards, and the worrying consequences that would have for families who rely on these vital services."

St Oswald’s Hospice has been providing short breaks and end-of-life care to babies, children and young adults across the North East for more than 20 years. It recognises the detrimental impact any cut in key funding sources could make on the quality of care it provides.

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St Oswald’s Hospice Chief Executive Officer, Steph Edusei, says: “At St Oswald’s Hospice, our team of specialist medical and support staff pride themselves on offering an exceptionally high level of care and support to everyone who comes through our doors, but we recognise that maintaining such standards does come at a cost.”

“The Children’s Hospice Grant forms a significant part of our annual charitable funding and, should it be withdrawn, it could impact our ability to provide our holistic programme of care, which combines specialist medical care with an exciting array of activities and events for our children, young adults and their families to enjoy.”

To find out more about St Oswald’s Hospice services or how you can support, visit www.stoswaldsuk.org