Pat McFadden Labour MP for Wolverhampton South East Pat McFadden MP for Wolverhampton South East
This announcement is confirmed in the letter below from Simon Stevens to the CEOs of the two national bodies for children’s hospices (Together for Short Lives and Hospice UK).
NHS England have now agreed the key funding recommendation in last year’s report of the APPG on children’s palliative care, which is to raise direct funding of England’s children’s hospices to £25m over the next five years.
This is good news and reflects the strong cross-party support shown for Acorns Children’s Hospice in Walsall since the closure announcement a few weeks ago.
This is an absolutely vital service for families throughout the Black Country and we have to do all we can to keep it open. On its own this announcement may not be enough to stop the closure but it does provide a clearer picture of what the future funding arrangements would be if we can stabilise the situation over the next year or two.
It is really essential now that every local agency that can help the Walsall Hospice stay open does its part until this future funding from the Children’s Hospice Fund comes on stream.