Home / Health / Hospices Get £1.6M Lifeline After Funding Crisis
Hospices Get £1.6M Lifeline After Funding Crisis
22 May
Summary
- Northern Ireland's four hospices and Children's Hospice receive vital funding.
- The Department of Health reversed its earlier stance on palliative care funding.
- Long-term sustainable funding is now a key focus for the sector.
The Department of Health in Northern Ireland has pledged £1.1m for the region's four hospices and an additional £500,000 for the Children's Hospice. This financial support comes after considerable criticism when the department initially accepted palliative care recommendations but cited insufficient funds for full implementation.
This new allocation provides a critical, albeit one-off, injection of funds, offering immediate relief to end-of-life care providers. The Hospice Alliance highlighted that approximately 30% of hospice services are typically government-funded, with the remainder reliant on public fundraising, which has become increasingly challenging.
While the £1.6m addresses immediate financial pressures, the alliance stresses the importance of the Health Minister's commitment to collaborating on a fair and sustainable long-term funding strategy. This is essential to ensure stability and clarity for hospice services in the years ahead, particularly as the sector looks towards the 2027/28 financial year.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt acknowledged the investment's role in alleviating financial burdens and reducing risks to essential services. He also committed to an independent review of the hospice funding model's comparator to ensure its future suitability.
