Energy Price Rises 'Will Devastate Hospice Care'

Urgent Plea For Vital Funding

- Giles Sheldrick

HOSPICES have issued an urgent cash SOS, warning the sector is facing oblivion as income dries up.

Rocketing energy bills have exacerbated a long-standing and perilous financial situation where many sites are forced to rely on cake sales and raffles to stay afloat.

Officials are now warning of the imminent closure of some of the nation’s 200 facilities, which care for more than 200,000 adults and children every year.

David Smith, chief executive of St Teresa’s Hospice in Darlington, County Durham, said that without urgent intervention the emergency will “devastate hospice care”.

He added: “While the NHS has always contributed some money towards our services, that support hasn’t been properly reviewed for a long time.

Decimate

“When Covid hit and our fundraising stopped overnight our hospices, like others up and down the country, faced a bleak future. We are fortunate the Government stepped in and the Treasury released significant support funds. Without those funds many of us wouldn’t be here today.