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Children’s care charity CEO says services across the UK are ‘under threat’
A charity CEO has said its services providing care to children will soon be “under threat.”
At the end of October, nurses across England will see a 5.5% uplift in their pay, backdated to 1 April.
For many, this will be a welcome respite from the effects of the cost of living crisis, but the Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home, a charity that provides a respite at home service to some of the most hard pressed families in the region, believes that this may have unintended consequences on the sector.
Daniel Cheesman, CEO of the charity has said: “Many people think that hospices are public sector funded,” but he adds “The truth is that we all rely to a worryingly large extent on the generosity of the general public.”
Hospices will be particularly hard hit, since staff – many of whom are qualified nurses – account for an average of 71% of their overall running costs.
Daniel explains that much of their running costs, nearly 81%, is sourced through fundraising.
“We certainly don’t begrudge our nurses their pay rise. They do vital work, caring for children with life limiting conditions in the safety and comfort of their own homes.
“But the gap between statutory funding and the genuine need of the families we support is becoming a gulf.”
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The hospice sector too, is pushing government. They are uncertain over the future of the £25 million NHS England (NHSE) funding stream, which accounts for nearly one fifth (16%) of children’s hospices’ charitable expenditure.
Calls for the government to increase NHSE funding for children’s hospices by the rate of inflation are being made by the whole sector, led by the UK’s leading charity for children’s palliative care, Together for Short Lives.
“There’s a widespread assumption that hospice care will always be there for those who need it,” said Daniel.
He adds, “The sad truth is that unless the general population continues to support us, both financially and by amplifying our calls for government support, hospice services all over the country will continue to be under threat.”
Main photo: Ric Rawlins
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