Hospice leaders warned of hundreds of beds being out of use.

Hospice leaders have warned that around 300 hospice beds in England are currently closed or out of use.

They say a lack of funding and staff are the main reasons why some of England’s 170 hospitals have had to close beds permanently or put them out of use.

Hospice UK, which represents the sector, is now calling for an urgent package of government funding to prevent further cuts. The Department of Health said it is considering how to finance hospitals to ensure they are sustainable.

gave Debate on Assisted Dying have increased the focus on hospice, with some arguing that the priority should be to increase the quality of end-of-life care to allow patients to make more informed choices.

Hospice leaders have been warning of a financial crisis for much of this year.

They argue that revenues from health services have lagged behind rising costs, with some hospitals announcing medical job cuts.

Only a third of the funding comes from the NHS – the rest has to be raised from donations, fundraising and charity shops.

For hospitals, which provide both community and inpatient care, there is now increasing concern due to the prospect of more employer national insurance contributions.

Hospice UK says around 300 beds out of a total of 2,200 in England are closed or out of use and the number is rising.

The organization has called for £110m of new funding from the government to prevent further cuts next year.

Annette Alcock, director of programs at Hospice UK, said the way hospices are funded and commissioned by the NHS “acts as a huge limitation on what they can do”. can do”, while also blaming “underlying pressures such as staff shortages”.

He added: “If the government can work to address these issues in both the short and long term, these figures are clear evidence that hospitals can do much more for patients. And so much for the NHS.

“This is also true in the community, where most hospice care is actually provided.

“With better funding and commissioning, hospitals can provide more care where people want it most – at home.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The Chancellor’s choice in the Budget allows us to invest a further £26bn in the NHS.

“We are looking at how we can financially support hospices next year to ensure they are sustainable.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has previously indicated that a financial package will be announced before Christmas.

Hospice leaders say around £100m will stabilize their balance sheets until at least the end of next year and cover the cost of higher national insurance contributions. But he adds that it will take more than that to significantly improve the quality of care.