Hospices warn of cash shortfall

Hospice managers in Hull and Grimsby have warned services could be cut amid a shortfall in government cash, according to the BBC.

Dove House Hospice in Hull is facing a deficit of £400,000 and says it has seen its money cut in real terms.

Finance director Chris Sadler said: "That is not something we could sustain indefinitely. The only way we can really save costs is to shut beds."

Bosses at Grimsby's St Andrew's Hospice said it may have to cut services as it forecasts a £100,000 deficit this year.

Two thirds of the hospices in England are run by the voluntary sector, providing support to the NHS.

St Andrew's Hospice fundraising and marketing manager Jane Whenham-White said: "The government told us two years ago that end-of-life care was its top priority and it had a strategy to meet that need.

"But they haven't yet come up with any funding.

"Because we actually haven't got a guaranteed income it is very, very difficult for us to plan our services.

"The only way to cut costs is to lay staff off, close beds or drop services.

"We don't want to do that, but we may have to if the funds are not available."

She said the hospice was relying more and more heavily on income generated by its shops and a lottery scheme.

"The worst thing is that because of the geographic area we cover we have been told we should have 16 adult beds here and we've only got eight.

"That means at a time when we should be doubling the number of beds we're actually facing the real prospect of having to cut back."