Strathcarron bosses among those from hospices across Scotland pleading for "sustainable funding" from Scottish Budget

The chief executives of more than a dozen hospices – including Strathcarron Hospice in Fankerton – have joined together to urge political leaders to “forge a new course” in next month’s Holyrood Budget, calling for cross-party consensus on “sustainable hospice funding”.

The Scottish Hospice Leadership Group say that hospice funding is “in crisis” as despite being a “key part” of the health and care system they are not part of the NHS and are instead charities having to fund their own running costs.

And they are making a plea for “sustainable hospice funding” to be part of the Scottish Government’s Budget on December 4.

In a letter they said the hospice sector provides “dignified care” for about 21,000 patients every year – as well as support for their families and loved ones – but they are “struggling enormously” with rising costs.

The hospices rely on “generous donations and fundraising” for staff – including nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, counsellors and support staff. However they said that rises in NHS wages could leave them facing extra costs as it is “near impossible” for them to match those rises given to NHS staff.

They face further pressure from costs such as heating, transport and supplies having “soared”. The rise in employer national insurance contributions announced in the UK Government’s Budget alone will add another £2.5 million to their wage bill from April.

The letter continued: “Scottish hospices face an insurmountable funding gap.

“There is now a risk that, for the first time ever, hospices will have to turn people away.

“Cutting services is the last thing any of us want to do. It would break our hearts. We promise to do everything we can to avoid that, but we also have to balance the books.”

The hospice bosses raised their concerns as they told political leaders that next month’s Scottish Budget presents an “opportunity for our political parties to forge a new course”, adding: “Supporting hospices is not only the right thing to do for patients and families, it is the right thing to do for the health care system. Hospice care reduces pressure on our overstretched NHS.”

The chief executives said sustainable hospice funding is necessary “so care at the end of life is as it should be and everyone has access to palliative care where and when they need it.”

Speaking about the current situation locally, Mags McCarthy, CEO of Strathcarron Hospice, said: “Strathcarron, like all other local hospices, is funded by the communities it serves.

"As a charity, we need to raise £116,459 every single week to provide all specialist end of life and palliative care services. We rely on the incredible generosity of local people to raise the shortfall that the NHS don’t fund.

“Our hospice services support over 400 people a week in their own homes across Forth Valley and North Lanarkshire areas. That is as many as we care for in our In-Patient Unit.

“Since 2006, the hospice has seen a steady increase in referrals. Now 76 per cent higher and despite this, the NHS have not funded additional posts and we have had to meet all the cost pressures through supporter donations.

“To match NHS rates of pay to recruit and retain our staff will significantly push up our wage bill. This could be devastating for the Hospice and we are feeling enormous pressure.

“We are incredibly grateful to our generous supporters, without their donations, we just could not carry on”.