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"Funding Crisis Forces Hospices to Scale Back Care for Dying Patients"
A National Audit Office report reveals that funding deficits are forcing hospices in England to reduce palliative care services for dying patients, highlighting a critical healthcare crisis.
- In 2023/24, nearly two thirds of independent hospices in England reported a funding deficit, prompting significant cutbacks in end-of-life care services.
- The National Audit Office (United Kingdom) found that independent hospices overall expenditure exceeded income by £78 million, exacerbating the sectors crisis.
- Hospice leaders emphasize that the funding shortfalls directly impact patient care, as essential services are scaled back to cope with financial pressures.
Why It Matters
The scaling back of care at hospices raises serious concerns about the quality of palliative care available for patients in their final stages of life, reflecting broader issues in healthcare funding. This crisis may lead to inadequate support for vulnerable populations, necessitating urgent policy intervention from the Department of Health and Social Care.