Hospice funding crisis: 'The people we care for deserve better' say bosses with more job cuts coming

Others also serving the Black Country and Staffordshire are backing a national campaign pleading with the Government and NHS chiefs to increase payments so hospices can continue running vital services to people with life-limiting conditions.

Grieving mother Liz Bishop, whose daughter Lily-Mai was cared for by Acorns Trust, last week delivered a 10,000-signature petition to 10 Downing Street. The seven-year-old had a brain tumour and died in 2018.

Trevor Johnson, chief executive of the trust which runs children's hospices in Walsall, Birmingham and Worcester, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support so far and grateful to everyone who is backing our campaign.

"However, the fight will continue, because it’s unacceptable that specialist children’s hospice services like Acorns rely on people jumping out of aeroplanes and organising bake sales just to stay afloat.

“Pressure on the sector is increasing every day, and unless urgent action is taken by the government more hospices will buckle and be forced to make difficult decisions.The children and families we care for deserve better.”

Rachel Overfield, chief executive of Wolverhampton-based Compton Care, said: “There are hundreds of hospices across the UK and no two share the same financial situation. However, we are all currently feeling the effects of rising costs and decreasing statutory funding in this challenging economic climate.

"Here at Compton Care we have developed a robust and innovative three-year financial plan that we are confident will deliver stability and future sustainability for our specialist services, helping local people living with life-limiting conditions, as well as supporting their loved ones.

“Our approach is focused on the growth and development of our services. In fact, we will soon be opening a second site on Ruskin Road in Low Hill to help more local people access our specialist services.

"Our plan also incorporates resourceful approaches to alternative funding streams, such as the new Compton’s Cafe in Codsall and a pioneering retail model in Dudley, which features a charity shop, coffee shop and internet café all under one roof.

"Alongside these we will continue to run specific fundraising appeals and activities, which are generously supported by our local communities.”

In Stafford, deputy chief executive of Katharine House Hospice Lisa Taylor, said: “Katharine House Hospice is in a stable financial position thanks to the incredible support from our community in raising funds, donating to our shops and leaving gifts in wills.

“We recognise that other hospices across the country are struggling financially and are having to reduce services and staffing, and a significant factor in this is the failure of NHS commissioners to increase grants and contracts in line with inflation.

“We are concerned that the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Commissioning Board are not making a fair and reasonable contribution to our service delivery costs and we have had four years with no uplifts. This year’s offer of 1.7 per cent was wholly insufficient in relation to inflationary costs of 25-30 per cent over the last five years and this means we are receiving £300,000 less in real terms than we were five years ago.”

At Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge services and staffing are not currently at risk, but bosses say the current funding model is not sustainable.

Chief executive Claire Towns says staff are grateful to have received good levels of legacy income in the last financial year, without which the hospice would have notched up a large deficit.

"It is concerning to hear news of a sixth hospice announcing service cuts and redundancies, highlighting the financial pressure on hospice palliative care services. The sector is under extreme financial strain and the current situation is unsustainable.

"With many hospices experiencing financial instability, we are calling upon the Government to urgently prioritise fair and equitable funding to ensure that hospices can continue to provide essential palliative and end-of-life care to those in need.”

Despite pressures Compton Care said it was delighted to be able to expand the service to ensure more residents can easily access expert care and support at its new centre in the Low Hill area of Wolverhampton.

Due to open within weeks it will be home to palliative care outpatient and lymphoedema clinics, provide bereavement and counselling support and complementary therapies.

Meanwhile in Shropshire, Severn Hospice is financially stable, but has concerns about a £1.1m gap to care for patients this year. It is currently holding discussions over how the charity protects services as it faces up to the difficulties of income failing to keep up with costs.

Walsall's Goscote Hospice, formerly operated by St Giles, was taken over by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust two years ago.