Maidenhead children's hospice raises concerns about funding

Alexander Devine Children's Hospice in Maidenhead is a registered charity

A children's hospice has said it is concerned about the potential loss of funding from the government.

Alexander Devine Children's Hospice Service in Maidenhead said it worried that a cut to funding would be a cut to the "essential care" they provide.

The current state of the economy, soaring energy bills and cost of living crisis mean the hospice is finding it harder to attract funds.

The NHS said discussions for funding arrangements beyond 2025 were ongoing.

Fiona Devine, CEO and founder of Alexander Devine Children's Hospice, said her facility offered a service that the NHS could not

Fiona Devine, CEO and founder of Alexander Devine Children's Hospice Service said: "A 10% cut in funding would mean a cut to our services.

"We have worked hard to develop the care we provide and increased our care team, any loss of income has a direct effect on the service we can provide."

It comes after Helen & Douglas House in neighbouring Oxfordshire said it feared having to limit the service it could offer, with the current NHS funding arrangement ending in 2025.

Ms Devine added: "My message to the people who have the powers to make the changes are that we are a frontline service, we are offering a service that the NHS cannot.

A cut to funding would be a cut to the "essential care" that Nurse Vicky and the team provides, Ms Devine said

"It's hard enough as a parent to be told your child has a life-limiting or life-threatening condition and they won't reach adulthood, but imagine how much more difficult that journey is when you don't have specialist support from a children's hospice.

"I'm not sure where these families would be without the service of our children's hospice."

An NHS spokesperson said: "The NHS committed to a five-year funding programme for Children's Hospices as part of the NHS Long Term Plan in 2019 and discussion is currently ongoing with the government and the hospice sector to finalise arrangements beyond the 2024/25 financial year."

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