Hospices Warn Legalizing Assisted Dying Could Trigger Financial Crisis
LONDON – UK hospices are voicing serious financial concerns as the House of Lords debates assisted dying legislation, warning that implementation without adequate funding could push many “to the brink.” Hospices currently spend £1.2bn annually on care, with only £485m provided by the government, relying heavily on charitable donations.
Concerns center on the potential for a state-funded assisted dying service diverting resources from existing palliative and end-of-life care. Hospices are also awaiting a decision on the renewal of a children’s hospice grant beyond April next year, a matter raised in Parliament this month by Stephen Kinnock, the health minister responsible for end-of-life care, who stated a decision would be published “in due course.”
“Hospices remain in the dark about what is expected of them should assisted dying be legalised,” a hospice representative stated. “The bill being debated today in the House of Lords has huge ramifications for hospices and end-of-life care as a whole, yet it has no detail on where assisted dying would take place or how it would be funded. If assisted dying is to become law, it’s essential that hospices have the space and flexibility to determine what the bill means for the services they provide and the communities they serve.”
The debate comes as the department of Health and Social Care announced a £100m investment to improve hospice facilities – described as the largest investment in a generation – aimed at shifting more healthcare out of hospitals and into community-based settings. However, hospice leaders argue this investment may be insufficient to cover the potential costs and complexities introduced by legalized assisted dying.
