Cambridgeshire Hospice secures 12-month funding after campaign
It's hoped it'll give bosses time to secure more permanent financial support.
Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridgeshire has secured enough funding to keep its specialist palliative care beds open for the next year following an extensive community-led campaign.
Cambridgeshire’s three Liberal Democrat MPs – Charlotte Cane, Pippa Heylings, and Ian Sollom – have been actively involved in efforts to save the beds, which were at risk of closure after a significant funding cut.
The hospice says the funds, raised through public donations, give it a 12-month reprieve and provide time to focus on securing more permanent financial support.
The campaign has garnered strong local support, with 15,000 signatures collected for a petition and an unprecedented response to its fundraising appeal.
Cambridgeshire MPs have also secured a meeting with the Minister of State for Social Care and representatives of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board (ICB) set for next Wednesday.
In the meeting, the group will present evidence showing the high demand for end-of-life care in the region and call on the ICB to commit to long-term commissioning for services provided by Arthur Rank Hospice.
They also plan to discuss new findings released yesterday, which suggest that the funding cuts would force more patients into “corridor care” within hospitals, further straining emergency care systems already under pressure.
In a joint statement, the MPs said:
“Everyone deserves and needs good quality end-of-life care, and we don’t think that this should be completely dependent on the community coming to save the day.
“These are some of the most precious moments for family and loved ones, and so it is vital that end-of-life care is properly funded by the Government.”