Extreme financial pressure on hospices, says boss

People are feeling like they can't give as they would in the past, says Jon Antoniazzi from the Marie Curie charity

A hospice charity is calling for a more sustainable funding model, saying the cost of living crisis continues to put the sector under financial pressure.

The Marie Curie charity said people were unable to be as generous as they used to be to help it to deliver palliative and end-of-life care.

It comes as the Welsh government announced a £4m package for hospices in Wales.

That has been welcomed by Marie Curie, but it said more needed to be done.

"We are not immune to cost of living increases and [it] has led to a really challenging fundraising environment," Jon Antoniazzi, the charity's associate director of policy and public affairs for Wales, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"People are feeling like they can't give as they could in the past.

"We've been under the most extreme financial pressure you can imagine."

Hospice UK, the national charity for hospice and end of life care, provides essential care and support for 20,000 children and adults in Wales affected by terminal and life-limiting illness each year.

Marie Curie provided care to almost 3,000 people across Wales in its Cardiff and Vale Hospice in Penarth and in their own homes in 2022/2023.

Actor James Nesbitt helped Marie Curie launch its annual fundraising drive last month

The charity has welcomed the Welsh government's £4m package which Mr Antonazzi described as a "short term measure".

"We need to work together with the Welsh government to make this fairer and sustainable for the longer term," he said.

"There isn't a consistent formula being applied across Wales.

"We would like to see a level playing field between health boards on how we deliver our services."

'Improving end-of-life care'

The Welsh government said it recognised the vital role of hospices and it was "committed to strengthening and improving end-of-life care".

It said: "We have allocated an additional £4m to be shared amongst 12 commissioned hospices in Wales, helping them to maintain services, retain staff and improve bereavement support.

"The cost of living crisis has heavily impacted these services.

"This funding will ensure people across Wales continue to receive high quality palliative and end-of-life care from the network of hospices."

Health and Social Care Secretary Eluned Morgan said: "This funding will help to ensure they can continue to provide these vital services and keep on providing high-quality care across Wales."