Hospices across North West London, including St Luke’s Hospice in Harrow & Brent, will receive a major funding boost of £10.7m from NHS North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB).
The new funding commitment will help secure the future of specialist end-of-life care in the area, including for thousands of people living in Harrow.
The ICB has confirmed it will now cover 50% of hospice funding costs, up from its previous 33%. The move comes at a time when many hospices across the country are facing severe financial pressures.
St Luke’s Hospice in Harrow is among those set to benefit, alongside Harlington Hospice, Royal Trinity Hospice and St John’s Hospice. The support will help provide palliative care both in the community and in hospice beds, as well as bereavement support for families.
Lindsey Bennister, Chief Executive at St Luke’s Hospice (Harrow & Brent) said: “St Luke’s Hospice (Harrow & Brent) welcomes this fantastic news of additional and sustainable funding for charitable hospices in North West London. At a time when hospices are struggling to fund their vital services, this increase in funding is game changing for our communities in North West London. It ensures that hospice services are protected into the future and the service cuts we are seeing in other parts of the country can be avoided in North West London. It enables hospices to focus on providing accessible and enhanced care at home and to continue to provide emotional and bereavement support for families across the region.
“This is a great example of collaborative working between hospice partners and the ICB, with involvement from the local community, which will have a profound impact on the support and care available for people with life-limiting illnesses.”
Other hospice leaders across North West London also welcomed the decision.
Jane Wheeler, Chief Executive at Harlington Hospice, said: “This news will have a clear positive impact on people across North West London. People with life-limiting illnesses deserve to have a pain-free, dignified death in the place that they choose. The news of NHS North West London’s additional funding shows that they recognise and are committed to ensuring their entire population can access this.
“At a time when the UK hospice sector is struggling to stay afloat and many hospices are closing beds, NHS North West London’s commitment to a fair and sustainable package for hospices is commendable. They are prioritising the people who will need our care in the future by helping to secure the future of our hospices.”
Emily Carter, Chief Executive at Royal Trinity Hospice, said: “This is incredible news for people in north west London and this funding boost will safeguard their local hospices into the future. NHS North West London has really listened to residents and worked collaboratively with hospice partners, and the new model of care and fairer hospice funding being introduced will have a profound impact on the lives and deaths of local people.
“NHS North West London is showing the rest of the country what is possible, and I hope other NHS commissioners follow their example to prevent further service cuts to hospice care elsewhere.”
Simon James, Chief Executive at St John’s Hospice, said: “For too long, the community of North West London has been subject to what can only be described as a palliative care postcode lottery due to funding limitations. This news is a hugely positive step forward by NHS North West London ICB which will help ensure that all those living in our catchment get the opportunity to access specialist care when they need it most.
“St John’s Hospice is delighted to finally be able to extend our Hospice@Home service as well as enhance all our other services thanks to this additional NHS funding. We are also truly grateful for the generosity of our local community whose support helps fill our remaining funding gaps, allowing us to continue supporting our patients and their loved ones.”
Rob Hurd, Chief Executive of NHS North West London, said: “Charitable hospices play a vital role in delivering compassionate, high-quality care for people at the end of their lives. At a time of increasing financial pressure across the health and care system, we are increasing funding to both NHS and charitable services in North West London to help protect and strengthen the care our communities rely on. This additional investment reflects our deep appreciation for the work of our hospice partners and our commitment to ensuring everyone can access the support they need, with dignity, when and where they need it most.”
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
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