MPs say “lifeline” hospices “deserve greater support” after The Northern Echo revealed two North East end-of-life charities were facing financial crisis.
This week, chiefs at Teesside Hospice and Butterwick Hospice warned that the sector could soon no longer be financially viable as they face “unsustainable” pressures.
Butterwick chief executive Edward Gorringe said that “finite” charity reserves were “fast running down” - with the hospice set to end the financial year in a “significant deficit”.
Meanwhile, Teesside Hospice chief executive Mike Thornicroft told how the charity had been “rescued” by unexpected legacies left in wills in recent years after consistently planning to spend more than the income generated.
The news came just months after Hospice UK warned the sector’s finances were at their worst state for 20 years, calling on the Government to “stem the tide” of cutbacks.
Now, MPs from across the region have spoken out about the situation facing North East hospices, saying it is “vitally important” that they can continue providing support.
Chris McDonald, MP for Stockton North, described the two hospices as a “lifeline for our community” - saying they provide “critical care and compassion when people need it most”.
He told The Northern Echo: “The fact that they continue to operate under such intense financial strain, relying so heavily on local community contributions, is a clear sign that they deserve greater support.
“We owe it to families across Teesside to ensure these vital services aren’t left on unstable financial footing."
Darlington MP Lola McEvoy said she is “greatly concerned” to see the struggles many hospices are facing - but warned of the huge challenges ahead.
She said: “Many people, myself included, have had their lives touched by the incredible work hospices in our region do. It greatly concerns me to see the struggles many of them are facing.
“I recently met with Hospice UK to find out what more I can do and will be writing to the Minister for Social Care to request an urgent meeting shortly.
“The new Labour Government wants everyone to have access to high-quality care, including end-of-life care. This is why all local NHS bodies are required to commission services from hospices in order to meet the needs of their local populations.
“We are determined to press ahead with our plans for NHS reform despite the huge challenges caused by the Tories’ £22bn black hole and mismanagement of our health service.
“These are early days and we are still awaiting confirmation on spending commitments - in the meantime, I’d like to thank all the organisations who have got in touch to share information on their circumstances.”
‘Improving end-of-life care for everyone, everywhere, is crucial’
Mary Kelly Foy, MP for the City of Durham, said the entire sector is “facing unprecedented pressure” and that it is “vitally important that they are able to continue providing this support for families here in the North East”.
She said: “I know the wonderful work that hospices - such as St Cuthberts in the City of Durham - carry out, providing care and physical, emotional and practical support for some of the most vulnerable people and their families.
“Over 300,000 people across the UK access hospice care every year, but most of their financial support comes from fundraising and donations.
“Typically, over the last few years only around a third of their funding has come from central government and in recent years this hasn't kept pace with rising inflation, and increasing demand.
“I know that Hospices UK has welcomed the commitments laid out in the Government's manifesto, and I will be meeting with Hospices UK to discuss this with them, and to see what I can do to further support the sector."
Andy McDonald MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East visited Teesside Hospice this week during Hospice Care Week across the country.
He told The Echo: "I had the great pleasure of visiting Teesside Hospice during Hospice Care Week and hearing about all of the wonderful services they offer over and above what you might expect both from their Linthorpe base and within our communities.
"It is an absolutely beloved institution within our community that so many people do an awful lot to support both financially and through volunteering but that sadly does not mean that it does not have its challenges.
"Only around 25% of its budget is funded by the NHS and so it looks to fundraising to provide the rest and that can be quite precarious by its nature, so we need to look at how we bring some core baseline sustainability to our hospice provision and across the country."
Meanwhile, Redcar MP Anna Turley said we “must work together” to support hospices.
She added: "I recently visited a dear friend at Teesside Hospice, and I can't express enough gratitude for the incredible care they provided.
“It’s a place where families can focus on being together during life’s hardest moments, without worrying about logistics or medical care. Hospices like Teesside and Butterwick are vital to our community. Their staff and volunteers are angels.
"I know the hospice sector is under real pressure, and we must work together during the spending review and 10-year plan to support them. Improving end-of-life care for everyone, everywhere, is crucial, ensuring access to the dignity and care they deserve."
Matt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton West, noted how the hospices were "renowned for the amazing work they do".
He said: "All of us in the Tees Valley will have had family members or know someone who has benefitted from the services they provide. I am an ardent supporter of their work, and we must do all we can to ensure they are properly resourced to do the job they need.
"I know former Darlington MP Peter Gibson, undertook sterling work as Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hospice and End of Life Care, work that should not go unrecognised.
"Under the previous Government, the Children’s Hospice Grant was extended to provide an additional £25 million of funding for children and young people’s hospices in 2024/25. But we must fight for more support, and I will do all I can."
A spokesperson for NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) said: "The ICB recognises the scale of the challenges faced by many of our providers, including hospices and the vital care and support that they provide for patients and their loved ones.
"Under The Health and Care Act 2022, ICBs have a legal duty to commission palliative care services.
"The need for good quality, community-based services is important in supporting people to achieve their preferred place of care, reducing the proportion of inappropriate hospital deaths, and ultimately supporting people to achieve their preferred place of death.
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"This is a key priority for the NHS and is reflected in our Adult Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy.
"A key part of the strategy is a focus on specialist palliative care services provided by our hospices.
"We are fully committed to delivering on our strategy and are working closely with partners to agree funding, service models, contracting arrangements and importantly ensuring that we not only provide good quality, compassionate and caring services for our patients and their loved ones but that our hospices are sustainable for the future."
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