At St Michael’s Hospice, we are deeply saddened by the recent news of six regional Hospices having to reduce services and make the difficult decision of redundancies. These are truly challenging times for hospices across the UK, as rising costs and uncertain funding from the government create immense pressure on our vital services.
Hospices play a critical role in the UK’s healthcare system, providing compassionate medical and holistic care to patients and families during some of life’s most difficult moments. With over 200 hospices across the country, we collectively care for more than 225,000 people* every year, alleviating pressure on the NHS by keeping hospital beds free for those in urgent need.
Our services ensure that patients receive the specialised care they need in a comforting and supportive environment, surrounded by their loved ones. From diagnosis through every step of their journey, we offer care and compassion not just to the patient, but to their family as well, ensuring that everyone feels supported throughout this challenging time.
Despite the invaluable service we provide, hospices only receive a small fraction of their funding from the government. Here at St Michael’s, it costs £19,900 every day to provide our vital care, both within the hospice itself and out in the community within patient’s homes. The NHS contribute just under 30%, the rest is thanks to the incredible generosity and commitment of our supporters.
With costs rising rapidly, maintaining the level of care we’re known for is becoming increasingly challenging. While we are incredibly fortunate not to be in the same position as some other hospices; primarily because of the support we receive from our community, we know that the situation could change rapidly if we don’t act now. We are profoundly grateful to our generous community, whose unwavering commitment has allowed us to continue providing exceptional care. However, we must not take this help for granted.
We stand with all hospices facing these difficult circumstances, knowing that the challenges affecting one of us can affect all of us. The hospice community is united in our mission to provide compassionate care, and together, we must work tirelessly to ensure that no one is left without access to the care they need.
As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, St Michael’s Hospice is proud to reflect on four decades of dedicated care and support for our community. To safeguard our future and ensure we can continue to provide the care our patients deserve, we are launching our 40-hour digital appeal: Caring for the Future. From 27th-28th October, we aim to raise an astonishing £400,000 in just 40 hours.
This ambitious goal is crucial to future-proofing our services and preparing for any challenges that may come our way.
We need your help to make this happen. We are looking for Champions to join in with the campaign and to help us reach this incredible target. It’s really easy to get involved, and we will help you along the way.
To find out more about how you can get involved, visit: st-michaels-hospice.org.uk/who-we-are/become-a-champion/
Let’s ensure that no one is left without access to the compassionate, comprehensive care that hospice services provide. We’ve all come too far to let this essential part of our healthcare system die.