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Last Updated: 3 minutes ago
Hospices throughout Wales are set to benefit from a £4.3m support package announced by the Welsh Government, aimed at helping both children’s and adult services cope with mounting financial pressures.
The funding will provide relief as hospices grapple with rising energy costs, workforce shortages and growing demand for increasingly complex care.
Alongside the financial support, landmark national commissioning guidance has been agreed for the first time, establishing a fairer and more consistent framework for how hospice and palliative care services are planned and funded. The reforms are intended to pave the way for a streamlined national commissioning model from April 2027, tackling longstanding inequities in access to care across the country.
Around 35,000 people die in Wales each year, with up to 29,000 having palliative care needs. Yet roughly a quarter of people currently lack access to a hospice or equivalent specialist palliative care support.
The one-off stabilisation grant brings total Welsh Government investment in hospices to more than £25m over this Senedd term.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, said: “Hospices provide valued and trusted care to thousands of people and families at the most difficult time in their lives. They enable people to spend their final days with dignity, comfort and compassion, surrounded by those they love.
“This grant will provide immediate support to help hospices continue their vital work. With the new commissioning guidance, we are laying the foundations for a fairer, more sustainable future for hospice care in Wales; one where funding is more predictable, services are commissioned based on need, and every person has access to high-quality end of life care.”
National Clinical Lead for Palliative and End-of-Life Care, Dr Idris Baker, said: “The new commissioning guidance is a major step forward, setting a clear and consistent approach to how hospice care is planned and funded across Wales.
“Hospices are a vital part of the palliative and end-of-life care system, bringing specialist expertise, compassion and support to people, families and communities when it matters most.
“This funding provides important stability for the sector now, while the guidance lays the foundations for a more sustainable and equitable future, helping ensure that access to high quality care is based on need, wherever people live.
“Our focus now is on implementation and the next phase of work to strengthen equity across Wales, including developing a whole system approach to specialist palliative care commissioning. By building on this progress, we can reduce variation, improve access, and ensure services work seamlessly together to meet the needs of people and families across all settings.”
Chief Executive Officer of City Hospice, Dr Liz Booyse, said: “This funding is welcome news for hospices across Wales. Like many in our sector, we have been navigating a challenging financial landscape.
“This stabilisation grant will support City Hospice as we continue to provide specialist care to patients and families who need us most.
“We also welcome the new commissioning guidance, and Welsh Government’s commitment to establishing a long term sustainable hospice sector in Wales, working in partnership with hospices, to ensure we can be there for our communities for years to come.”
