A vital Devon hospice charity has confirmed it has been forced to cut costs resulting in potential staff redundancies. It comes as Hospiscare plans to replace its beloved care at home service with a new rapid response care service in the autumn to meet the challenges ahead.
The ‘difficult’ decision is said to have been made to ensure the long-term future of the hospice which has already reduced its administration costs and cut the number of beds on its ward in Exeter. According to Hospiscare, latest figures show it receives just 15 per cent of its funding from the Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB), the local NHS body with responsibility for funding healthcare services in Devon – compared to a national average of 27 per cent.
Combined with soaring prices and a sharp dip in income from gifts in wills, it has resulted in the independent charity facing a £2.5 million deficit this year. NHS Devon says it is also facing its own severe financial challenges and this year is forecasting a deficit of £80 million.
However, it has pledged Hospiscare £480,000 extra funding for 2024/25 and says it is looking to develop a Devon-wide commissioning plan for end-of-life care across the county.
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Hospiscare currently provides specialist palliative care for more than 2,000 patients a year in Exeter, central and east Devon. Its care is rated as ‘outstanding’ by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and is provided to patients on its ward, in community hubs and in patients’ own homes.
Andrew Randall, CEO at Hospiscare, said: “Acute funding challenges and inequitable statutory funding mean we must reduce our costs while still maintaining vital care and support for local people facing terminal illnesses. This June, we consulted with our clinical teams on a proposed new rapid response care service to replace our beloved Hospiscare at home service.
“It is with deep regret that I say this means that some highly valued and skilled colleagues are sadly at risk of redundancy.”
Ann Rhys, clinical director at Hospiscare added: “Patient care is central to everything we do. Despite the challenges facing us, we’ll do everything in our power to always give the very best care.
“Potentially making brilliant colleagues redundant is absolutely the last thing I want to do, and we will do everything we can to redeploy our staff where possible. But unfortunately, we’re in the position where we must make difficult decisions to safeguard the long-term future of the hospice.
“We will be writing to our patients, but I really want to reassure our current Hospiscare at Home patients that this decision won’t come into effect until autumn and won’t affect their care. Our specialist community team and other outpatient and inpatient services will continue as normal.”
Addressing the ongoing inequity in the hospice’s funding, chair of trustees Brian Aird said: “Despite multiple conversations over two years with the Devon Integrated Care Board, gross inequities in the statutory funding we receive have not been addressed and significant increases in costs have had a stark impact on the hospice’s finances.
“Thanks to the incredible support of thousands of generous people across our community who donate, play our lottery, use our charity shops or remember us in their will, Hospiscare raises over 80 per cent of the money we need every year. But we need more long-term help.
“We are not asking Devon ICB to fully fund our hospice; we just urgently need them to commit to giving us fair government funding so we can continue to provide outstanding care to local people at the end of their lives.”
NHS Devon has previously confirmed funding for hospices in Devon has not decreased and that issues around hospice funding are not limited to Devon.
A spokesperson for NHS Devon said: “We recognise the high-level of care hospice teams across the county provide to patients and their families at a hugely emotional time in their lives. Each year, we provide financial support to Hospiscare through grant funding.
“The hospice has flexibility to invest their grant in the services which best meet the needs of their local community. The NHS in Devon faces severe financial challenges.
“For the last two years we have recorded a deficit of more than £40 million and this year we forecast a deficit of £80 million and we are having to take difficult decisions on spending. We recognise many hospices locally and nationwide have faced financial challenges arising from reduced public donations due to cost-of-living and inflation challenges.
“Despite our ongoing financial challenges, we were pleased to agree an extra £480,000 for Hospiscare for 2024/25. We are currently working with local partners, including the hospices, to develop a Devon-wide commissioning plan for end of life care across the county.”
Hospiscare has four sites: Searle House in Exeter, Kings House in Honiton, Pine Lodge in Tiverton and High View in Exmouth, which provide outpatient services. For details on how to support Hospiscare, please click here.