Oxfordshire hospice urging government for funding to go further
Hospices across Oxfordshire are able to receive a share of over £250,000 from Government
Last updated 26th Feb 2025
An Oxfordshire Hospice says they are “grateful” for more funding from the government but is also urging for it to go further, to cover staffing costs and other services that they provide.
The Government has today promised to inject more cash into the sector to improve facilities and care.
"We only have one chance to get someone's death right"
Hospices will begin receiving £25 million for facility upgrades and refurbishments from today as part of the biggest investment into hospices in a generation.
The cash will be distributed immediately for the 2024/25 financial year, with a further £75 million to follow from April.
More than 170 hospices across the country will receive the funding.
Three hospices in Oxfordshire are able to receive a share of more than £250,000:
• Katherine House Hospice - £35,454
• Sobell House Hospice - £78,633
• Helen & Douglas House - £136,890
Amelia Foster, CEO of Sobell House Hospice, said: “The nurses, the doctors, the occupational therapists, the physiotherapists, the social workers, the chaplains - all of those people are so vital and having enough of those people are what makes the service great.
“So, we need to make sure that there is funding to cover those roles, and I do really urge the government to look really carefully at how palliative in the end-of-life care is funded, because it is such an important thing. We only have one chance to get someone's death right.”
Ms Foster also says that she’s “grateful” for the funding.
She added: “We've got a few areas where the doors have rotted. In the arts and music therapy rooms we really urgently need to replace those to make the rooms warmer, because that's a place where patients will be.
“I think that there are also some upgrades to patient rooms that we would very much like to be able to be able to put against this money as well.”
"Hospices provide invaluable care and support"
Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock said: "This is the largest investment in a generation to help transform hospice facilities across England. From upgrading patient rooms to improving gardens and outdoor spaces, this funding will make a real difference to people at the end of their lives.
"Hospices provide invaluable care and support when people need it most and this funding boost will ensure they are able to continue delivering exceptional care in better, modernised facilities.”
Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK, said: "Today's news of the allocation of the first £25m of this funding will be a huge relief for our members.
"Several years of rapidly rising costs have curtailed the extent to which hospices have been able to invest in their infrastructure for the longer term. This additional support will enable them to do so - and relieve the immediate pressures on hospice finances.
"The hospice sector is ready to support the government's ambition to shift more care into the community. This couldn't be more important for people approaching the end of life, when it's vital to have the right care, in the right place.
"The greater stability provided by the government's funding injection this year and next gives us a golden opportunity to now reform the palliative and end of life care system, so it's fit for the future."