Sussex Hospices Call For Better Funding

Sussex hospices are calling on the NHS for more funding. Managers have told Heart they're getting 10% less money than anywhere in the country.

 

This is the statement they've released today...

Sussex hospices are currently the most poorly funded hospice group in the UK, receiving only 22% of their core funding from their PCTs compared to the national average of 32%*. This is despite Sussex hospices providing a service to some 2.2 million people. The local NHS providers would struggle to cope without the services that Sussex hospices provide.

In announcing their campaign to coincide with the general and local elections, each hospice chief executive has written to their parliamentary and council candidates/councillors remaining in office to rally support for this joint initiative and to strengthen the working relationship with the local PCTs. It is hoped that this action will build upon collaborative work between the hospices and the PCTs and that this will continue long after the elections are over.

The PCTs who cover the 8 Sussex hospices are: West Sussex PCT, Brighton and Hove PCT, East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT and Hastings and Rother PCT.

Sussex Hospices are calling for:

Appropriate funding for hospices on a sustained basis:

A minimum contribution of 50% in funding of core costs, agreed in partnership with the PCT.

For the recommendation of the House of Common’s Public Accounts Committee to be implemented so that three-year rolling funding agreements are adopted by PCTs.

Better use of existing NHS funds: redirecting funds from acute care to hospice care would not only provide a better quality of care and a greater choice for patients but also prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.

A strengthened partnership between hospices and PCTs: improved collaboration between Hospices and local PCTs is the best way to increase the provision and quality of end-of-life care

Heart has got in touch with the Primary Care Trusts in Sussex to get their response...

NHS Brighton and Hove say, this year they're providing more than 1- point -two- six million pounds to support local hospices.

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NHS West Sussex say, they fund four local hospices and they'll provide 2-point-nine-five million pounds this year, which is in line with the national average.

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NHS East Sussex Downs and Weald say they're supportive of the work local hospices do for local people and last year they provided over 2 million pounds for them.