St Nicholas Hospice Care in Bury St Edmunds campaigns for sustainable funding model after £80,000 grant cut for palliative care services in Thetford

A hospice is calling for a sustainable funding model after an £80,000 grant was cut and put people ‘at risk of being left without end-of-life care services’.

St Nicholas Hospice Care, in Bury St Edmunds, has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the ‘critical need for consistent and fair funding’.

It follows the loss of an £80,000 annual grant for palliative care services in Thetford from the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board on March 27, which the charity said created a ‘significant funding gap at a time when financial pressures are already high’.

Linda McEnhill, chief executive officer at the hospice, said: “This decision was made without consulting with us, or other key stakeholders.

“Inadequate funding places St Nic’s in a very difficult position and we cannot let funding cuts compromise end-of-life care.

“In this case, without warning, the people of Thetford were left at risk of being left without end-of-life care services.”

To coincide with the national Hospice Care Week, from October 7 to 13, the charity is calling on people to write to their MP to add their voice to the national debate for fairer funding.

It costs about £8 million each year to run the hospice, which serves West Suffolk and Thetford.

It is equivalent to £22,000 per day and, although the charity receives some statutory funding covering about 20 per cent of costs, it still needs to generate a further £17,500 of income a day.

Linda said: “Our ability to deliver care should not be compromised by financial instability.

“Hospices like ours are facing a growing financial strain, as funding sources become less reliable, and costs continue to rise.

“This campaign is about highlighting the urgent need for a sustainable funding model that allows us to focus on what we do best - caring for our patients.

“We need the community’s help to secure a future where hospice care is not just available, but sustainable.

“Together, we can make sure that St Nicholas Hospice Care remains a vital resource for those who need us most.”

Hospice Care Week, organised by Hospice UK, is an annual event that shines a light on the work of hospices across the UK and this year’s theme is about hospice retail and the role it plays in funding hospice services.