Concerns remain over future of hospice care despite £6.5m pledge from Scottish Government
A funding commitment from the Scottish Government of £6.5 million for hospices has been welcomed by the body representing the sector as an “initial step” but they say more support is needed.
The government had included the cash in its draft budget which was announced on Tuesday.
Hospices across Scotland are facing severe financial pressures as they struggle to keep pace with rising costs and provide palliative care for those who need it at a time when demand for such care is at an all time high.
Without government backed funding, hospices are forced to rely on the support and generosity of their communities to fundraise and help them cover the day to day costs.
Helen Malo, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager for Scotland at Hospice UK said: “We’re pleased that Scottish Government has recognised the severe and unsustainable financial pressures across the hospice sector at a time when demand for palliative care is at an all-time high.
"The Scottish Government has previously committed to pay parity for Scottish hospices and have emphasised their ongoing commitment to this in today’s draft budget.
"However, while the £6.5m announced for hospices today is a welcome initial step, this falls short of the £13.3m needed to ensure hospice staff are paid fairly for their work on par with the NHS.
“Hospices will need to plug this gap through charitable donations to prevent further cuts and avoid losing skilled and dedicated staff. In the midst of a cost of living crisis this is an increasingly impossible ask, with two thirds of Scottish hospices having made or planning to make cuts in the next year, heaping pressure onto an already overloaded system.
"We look forward to engaging with Scottish Government on how to fully implement pay parity ahead of the final budget in February to protect vital hospice care now, and how to urgently progress their commitment to a national funding framework for hospice care. Looking ahead to the elections all parties must make palliative care a national priority and commit to long-term sustainable funding for hospices.”
Mags McCarthy, chief executive of Strathcarron Hospice and co-chair of the Scottish Hospice Leadership Group, said: “Hospices play a vital role in delivering palliative care, supporting families, and reducing pressure on NHS services. They support people to be cared for in their own communities, avoid hospital admissions and are an essential partner in wider system reform.
“Demand for hospice care is increasing, and they are delivering more complex care for more people, with resources that are already stretched to breaking point. The difference between funding announced today and the £13.3m hospices need to keep hospices running leaves a hole in hospice finances.
"It isn’t fair to ask local communities to keep plugging this gap, but if it’s not filled we will see more service cuts, more staff redundancies, and even more inequity across Scotland in who can access the end of life care they need.”