Mr Porter hailed the historic and transformative funding announcement (Image: Humphrey Nemar)
Hundreds of cash-strapped hospices have been handed a lifeline with a £126million cash boost.
In the biggest funding for end-of-life care in a generation £100million has been promised for adult and children’s hospices while £26million has been pledged for children and young people’s facilities.
The funding will help support cash-strapped centres where revenue streams have dried up and deliver money to make vital bricks and mortar improvements for patients and visitors.
The announcement is a major victory for the Express, which has campaigned for a vital injection of funds in a sector that has been scandalously overlooked for years and reliant almost entirely on private donations, fundraising and generous benefactors leaving pledges in wills.
Toby Porter, chief executive of Hospice UK, said: “Today’s announcement will be hugely welcomed by hospices, and those who rely on their services. Hospices not only provide vital care for patients and families, but also relieve pressure on the NHS.
“This funding will allow hospices to continue to reach hundreds of thousands of people every year with high-quality, compassionate care.
“We look forward to working with the government to make sure everyone approaching the end of life gets the care and support they need, when and where they need it.”
The £126m cash boost marks a major victory for the campaigning Express (Image: Humphrey Nemar)
The £100million promised will help hospices this year and next to provide the best end of life care to patients and their families in a supportive and dignified physical environment.
Hospices for children and young people will also receive a further £26million for 2025-26 through what until recently was known as the Children’s Hospice Grant.
The Government said it is committed to ensuring every person has access to high-quality end of life care and, as part of its Plan for Change, is taking immediate action to rebuild the health service and deliver improved standards of care, making sure it is fit for the future.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Hospices provide the care and support for patients and families at the most difficult time so it is only right they are given the financial support to provide these services.
“This package will ensure they will be able to continue to deliver the compassionate care everyone deserves as they come to the end of their life in the best possible environment.”
This investment will go towards helping hospices to improve their buildings, equipment, and accommodation to ensure that patients continue to receive the best care possible.
That will include refurbishing bedrooms and bathrooms for patients and providing comfortable overnight facilities for families, improving IT systems making it easier for GPs and hospitals to share vital data on patients.
The money will also help towards improving garden and outdoor spaces so patients and their families can spend time outdoors in greener and cleaner spaces.
It will also help to develop and bettering outreach services to support people in their own homes when needed.