The UK government has announced a £25 million boost for hospices across England, marking the first phase of a larger £100 million investment to improve the quality of end-of-life care
This funding, distributed in two stages, is part of a generation’s most significant investment in hospices. It aims to enhance the care and support provided to patients and their families.
Improving facilities
The £25 million will be used immediately for facility upgrades, medical equipment, and improvements to IT systems.
A further £75 million will be released in April 2025 to support more substantial refurbishments and modernisation projects.
Over 170 hospices will benefit from this funding, including prominent organisations like Marie Curie and Sue Ryder and independent hospices such as Zoe’s Place in Liverpool.
These investments aim to create a more comfortable and dignified environment for end-of-life care patients.
By upgrading patient rooms, gardens, and outdoor spaces, hospices can offer better facilities that foster a peaceful atmosphere for patients and their families.
These improvements include installing energy-efficient measures and advanced technology to enhance patient care and overall efficiency.
Digital transformation in hospitals
Hospices can modernise their IT systems, improving data sharing between healthcare providers and allowing for more streamlined care coordination.
This will also support the growing demand for outreach services, allowing hospices to extend their care beyond their physical buildings. For example, mobile technology will enable hospices to help people who wish to receive end-of-life care in their own homes, ensuring they can remain in a familiar and comfortable environment during their final days.
Another key focus is enhancing the spaces available for families. The funding will help create more welcoming and comfortable environments, including renovated family rooms and peaceful outdoor areas where families can spend precious time together.
These spaces will provide a crucial sense of comfort and support during some of the most challenging moments in life.
Improving palliative and end-of-life care
The government’s investment in hospices aligns with its broader health strategy to shift care away from hospitals to the community.
By encouraging these hospices to deliver more modern, digital, and community-based care, the government hopes to improve the overall quality of palliative and end-of-life care.
This will allow patients to receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, whether at home or in a hospice.
Hospices, particularly those offering children’s palliative care, have been facing increasing financial pressures due to rising costs.
The government’s funding hopes to relieve some of these pressures and allow hospices to invest in long-term infrastructure improvements. It also provides stability and security for future end-of-life care services nationwide.
Allowing the best quality care for patients
Overall, this investment also supports other government goals for digitalising healthcare and ensuring that services are better integrated across the sector.
The funding will improve the physical spaces and facilities of hospices and improve the technological infrastructure that underpins patient care, ultimately leading to more efficient and effective services.
This funding shows a major step forward in transforming hospice services across England. It will improve the physical environment, enhance the use of technology, and provide better support for patients and their families. By investing in hospices, the government ensures that these services can continue providing good quality care in the most compassionate and comfortable settings possible.
