Following our successful campaign, we warmly welcome the Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting’s, decision to increase NHS England funding for children’s hospices to £26 million in 2025/26.
The £100 million fund for both children’s and adult hospices in England announced by the UK Government also means many seriously ill children and their families will continue to have access the lifeline care and support they rely on in 2025.
Nick Carroll, our Chief Executive, says: “I wholeheartedly thank Wes Streeting for listening to Together for Short Lives’ campaign to increase funding for children’s hospices, central to which has been the voices of seriously ill children, families and the crucial services they rely on. Today’s announcement means that, in 2025/26, thousands will continue to have the choice of accessing lifeline support at home or at a children’s hospice.”
“Access to the £100 million will also help children’s hospices navigate a challenging funding environment and rising costs. Today’s news will be warmly welcomed by children’s hospices and I look forward to working with ministers and officials on the details of how both sets of funds will be distributed.”
“I also relish the opportunity that the forthcoming NHS 10-Year Plan and Spending Review now offers to make sure seriously ill children and their families can access the palliative care they need, when and where they need it. Working together to resolve the workforce, funding and commissioning challenges facing statutory and voluntary sector children’s palliative care services can help government is to meet its health mission and its aspiration to shift care from hospitals to communities.”
