In his latest blog, our CEO reflects on what the Darzi Report on the state of the NHS means for hospices and Forget Me Not
Gareth’s blog: What does the Darzi Report mean for us?
Gareth’s blog: The Darzi Report – what does it mean for us?
“NHS is broken, but no extra funding without reform” – Keir Starmer
This, amongst countless other statements about the NHS, have dominated the headlines for the last few weeks, particularly since the release of the report by Lord Darzi and his team.
The Darzi Report paints a stark picture. Waiting lists, stretched services, demands on GPs, A&E pressures, mixed quality of care. It’s a long diagnosis of the problems being faced.
But for me, there is one line that stands out: “The NHS budget is not being spent where it should be.”
Hospice funding – a national crisis
Alongside those NHS headlines, hospices continue to speak out about what has now become a national crisis. Rising costs, increased demand for services and a funding model that simply isn’t fit for purpose – but how does this situation dovetail with the findings of the Darzi report?
Part of the solution
Hospices are, and always have been, an integral part of the health system. They just aren’t funded as if they are.
The work that hospices do helps the NHS = fact.
- We keep people out of hospital
- We prevent long term admissions
- We take the pressure off GPs
- We reduce visits to A&E
- We provide symptom control and advanced care planning
- We provide consistent, high quality care
- We have experienced palliative care professionals
The list goes on, and importantly, we do all of this under one roof. We’re able to support families in navigating the complex journeys that they face day in, day out.
The reality is that although we are very much part of the solution, we still cannot reach everyone who needs our support. Why? Because of our funding limitations.
A vicious circle
The demand for our services is rising – but our funding remains incredibly low. At Forget Me Not, our NHS funding this year amounts to only around 10% of the £6 million that we need to operate.
What’s more, the biggest proportion of that income, the money that we receive from the National Children’s Hospice Grant is currently under threat. So we could do more, we want to do more, but the reality is that we are often just fighting to survive – and it’s likely to stay like this until a more sustainable solution is found.
So, let’s hope that we see action in redirecting vital funds back into services that could make a huge difference all round, not just to the families who need our help but also in helping the NHS to build back stronger and ultimately, in providing more support to more people from our local communities.
If you’d like to read more about the national picture, here’s a couple of useful links:
Children’s hospice funding across the UK in 2024 – Together for Short Lives
Hospice UK statement on Lord Darzi’s investigation of the NHS in England | Hospice UK
The reality is that although we are very much part of the solution, we still cannot reach everyone who needs our support. Why? Because of our funding limitations.
Gareth Pierce, CEO
How can I help?
Write to your local MP
If you’d like to take action on this important subject – why not write to your local MP and ask them how they are supporting their local hospices to remain sustainable.
Every penny counts
It’s Hospice Care Week from 7th to 13th October. Show your support by doing something during that week to raise vital funds for Forget Me Not – and even better, shout from the rooftops about what you are doing – every penny literally does count!
Help us to spread the word
By sharing our news, stories and events on social media. Because the more people that know about the work of our charity, the wider our community becomes – a community we rely on, now more than ever!
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