Children’s Hospice Appeals to Health Secretary for Promised Financial Support

A children’s hospice, which operates three facilities across the West Midlands, has called upon the health secretary to uphold his commitment of increased financial assistance to secure its future. Last month, Wes Streeting stated that hospices would receive aid to manage rising National Insurance costs and a decrease in government funding, with specific details expected to be released before Christmas. “We’re all hoping for that Christmas present,” remarked Trevor Johnson, the chief executive of Acorns Children’s Hospice. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) indicated that hospice funding for the upcoming year would be announced in due course. The National Children’s Hospice Grant, valued at £25m for hospices nationwide, is scheduled to conclude this year. Speaking at Acorns’ Worcester hospice, Mr Johnson conveyed that the uncertainty surrounding funding made it challenging to formulate future plans. “We don’t want to be in the position where we ever have to make a decision to turn a child away because we don’t have the income to be able to care for them,” he stated. He further noted that Acorns’ annual operating expenses already amount to £13m, and the demand for its services has grown “exponentially.” Mr Johnson emphasized, “What we need from [Streeting] is a five-year commitment in line with inflation to maintain that Children’s Hospice Grant.” Keri Harris, a resident of Leominster, expressed her reliance on Acorns for support with her son, Patrick. She conveyed, “I don’t know how I would cope. We rely so much on hospice and everything they do. It’s really scary to think that funding’s going to be cut.” Ms Harris explained that the assistance provided by Acorns enables her to engage in activities that many consider routine, such as grocery shopping, showering, and caring for her other child. She concluded, “It would be such a shame to my family and to the thousands and thousands of others out there that benefit from them.” A spokesperson for the DHSC stated that the department is committed to guaranteeing universal access to high-quality end-of-life care and is allocating an additional £26bn towards health and social care. Readers can find BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. This article is copyrighted by BBC 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information on its external linking policy.