Bid to Improve Hospice Funding

1.22.54pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 5th Mar 2007

The Chief Executive of the Shooting Star Children's Hospice in Hampton, supported by Vincent Cable MP, is one of the key players in an all-party group which has been established in Parliament to press for better funding for logistics. The group meets on Wednesday to plan the next steps in its campaign for more systematic financial support. At present, hospices, like Shooting Star, get very little money - less than 10% - from the NHS and depend almost entirely on charitable fund raising. A recent boost in hospice funding is also temporary and there is concern over what happens when it comes to an end, shortly.

Vincent Cable said: "Shooting Star and other children's hospices do an extraordinarily valuable role in providing not just care but respite for families and bereavement support. But they are, to a degree, victims of their non-fundraising success since the Government is then under less pressure to give matching support. There is some funding through the commissioning of the Primary Care Trusts but this is a laborious and uncertain process. Some time ago the Prime Minister promised to address the issue seriously and provided a temporary package. I hope the all-party group will put the arrangements on a more sustainable footing.