The NHS body responsible for funding local hospice services has told local MPs it’s working towards ‘equitable’ funding for all four adult hospices in Devon.

Last year Hospiscare, which serves East Devon and Exeter, warned that it might have to cut services if it doesn't receive more money from the NHS. The charity is facing a £2.5million deficit in the next financial year. Hospiscare pointed out that it receives only 18 per cent of its £10million annual running costs from the NHS, while the average NHS contribution to other UK hospices is 37 per cent.

Meanwhile, Sidmouth Hospice at Home receives no funding from NHS Devon.

The East Devon MP Simon Jupp, Tiverton & Honiton MP Richard Foord, and Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw all wrote to the NHS Devon Integrated Care Board to raise their concerns.

Sidmouth Herald: Alasdair Cameron, CEO of Sidmouth Hospice at Home, with Simon Jupp MP

Simon Jupp has held meetings with the CEOs of Sidmouth Hospice at Home and Hospiscare to discuss the impact on their services from the lack of fair funding from NHS Devon, and secured and led a debate in Parliament about the issue on Wednesday (January 17).

In a letter dated the same day, sent to all three MPs, the chair and chief executive of NHS Devon’s Integrated Care Board, said their body is also facing a huge cash deficit, but is aware of the financial challenges Hospiscare faces.

The letter said: “Our executive team recently met to discuss the funding challenges faced by our hospices and are working on plans to move towards equitable NHS funding for all four adult hospices in the county starting in 2024-25.

“These conversations are ongoing, given the financial challenges outlined above, and we have committed to undertaking a financial review that addresses several of the options that were part of the end of life commissioning review.”

The letter said the different levels of funding to hospices are the result of historic grant arrangements pre-dating the creation of the ICB - but the funding body is now working with NHS England South West ‘to support the implementation of sustainable, effective end of life support for people and families across Devon’.

Simon Jupp said: “I first raised NHS Devon’s unfair funding for hospices over two years ago. It is truly regrettable that it took the debate I secured in Parliament for NHS Devon to finally commit to reviewing hospice funding in the county just hours before it began.

“I was pleased to secure the support of the Minister for Social Care for my call for fairer funding for hospice services in Sidmouth, Exmouth, Seaton, Axminster and Exeter. I will continue to press for progress from NHS Devon to better support all of our local hospice care providers and their brilliant teams who help take the strain off the RD&E and community hospitals across East Devon.”