Reacting to today’s written statement announcing that the UK Government is developing a new modern service framework for palliative and end of life care in England, Nick Carroll, Chief Executive of Together for Short Lives said:
“The news that ministers have asked government and NHS officials to develop a new all-age palliative care modern service framework is positive. It offers an important opportunity to make clear who should be responsible for planning, funding and evaluating these lifeline services for seriously ill children and their families. I welcome plans to involve Together for Short Lives, as well as families, professionals and services, to coproduce it.
“The framework will, however, only solve the challenges in accessing palliative care that ministers have identified if it is implemented at local and regional level. To achieve this, it will need to be supported by action to boost the workforce and use it more effectively, fill the £310 million gap in NHS funding for children’s palliative care and hold NHS bodies to account in putting the framework in place.
“Only by doing so will the framework fully achieve the shift from hospital to community for seriously ill children and their families, many of whom do not have time to wait.”
The framework will, however, only solve the challenges in accessing palliative care that ministers have identified if it is implemented at local and regional level. To achieve this, it will need to be supported by action to boost the workforce and use it more effectively, fill the £310 million gap in NHS funding for children’s palliative care and hold NHS bodies to account in putting the framework in place..
Nick Carroll, Chief Executive, Together for Short Lives