Hundreds of hospice beds unused amid financial crisis

Some 380 hospice beds out of around 2,000 lie empty in England because of financial pressures, say bosses.

Hospice UK has told BBC News this is up from 300 a year ago and illustrates the severe challenges facing the sector.

Beds are left empty to save money - since staffing and caring is costly - and so are unavailable to patients.

Hospices are run by charities, raising between two-thirds and three-quarters of their income from donations and private fund raising. They depend on the rest from the NHS, and managers say this funding has not kept pace with costs, such as employer national insurance.

Hospice leaders say their organisations are "on the brink of a financial crisis".

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government had already invested £100 million to improve hospice facilities and had committed £80 million for children's and young people's hospices over three years.

"We recognise there is more to do and we are exploring how we can improve the access, quality and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan," a spokesman added.

Hospice UK says five of its members have announced "cost reductions" or cutbacks since early October. In some cases job losses are being made.

One of them is Ashgate Hospice in Derbyshire which has warned staff that 52 are at risk of redundancy. Bed numbers are also being reduced - from 15 to six - and the proposals would mean 600 fewer patients being cared for each year.

The hospice has blamed energy bills and rising staff salaries with NHS funding not matching the increases.

Meanwhile, Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge says a cut in NHS funding will mean inpatient beds being reduced from 21 to 12 – what it described as "a devastating decision".

Garden House Hospice Care in Hertfordshire has announced what it calls "the most serious financial challenge in its history" and has launched a consultation process which may lead to more than 20 redundancies.

Charlie King, director of external affairs at Hospice UK, said: "The financial situation facing hospices is untenable, with even more beds out of use this year than last year.

"We know many hospices have waiting lists and demand for end of life care is rising, so it's not a case of lack of demand. Hospices desperately want to reach everyone who needs them, but financial pressure is holding them back."

Mr King argued that an overhaul of hospice funding was needed because ministers were pushing for more care to be shifted from hospitals into the community. He added that with assisted dying potentially on the horizon, well-funded end of life care would be a vital safeguard.

Ministers unveiled an emergency funding plan this year with £100 million available for hospices in England. But the money was specifically for capital spending on improving buildings and facilities rather than for day to day running costs. Funding for future years for adult hospices has yet been announced though the government has come up with an £80 million three year plan for children's hospices.