Hospice Alliance NI statement on the Department of Health’s response to the Health Committee's Palliative Care Review Recommendations.

Hospice Alliance Northern Ireland is extremely disappointed by the Department of Health’s response to the Palliative Care Inquiry recommendations. We are dismayed that whilst the Department accepts almost all 27 recommendations, it does not commit any additional funding to deliver them.

This continued lack of investment has left the hospice sector deeply concerned about how we can sustainably deliver our services to patients and families. Independent hospices have been underfunded for many years and we are now at a critical point. As the demand for specialist palliative and end‑of‑life care grows rapidly year on year, at the same time costs have risen significantly, and yet the funding model imposed on the hospice sector by the department remains wholly inadequate to sustain existing services, let alone meeting more complex need into the future.

It is unacceptable that independent hospices are being overlooked in this way. Our skilled and experienced staff deal with the sharp end of specialist palliative care, providing a highly specialised service to patients with the most complex needs. Without appropriate and sustainable funding and integration, patients who require this level of care will have no option but to end up in hospital, which places further pressure on an already overstretched health care system.

The Inquiry was clear that independent hospices are an essential part of the health and social care system, not an optional add‑on. Accepting the recommendations without committing the resources needed to implement them represents a missed opportunity to put things right for palliative care patients, their families and carers across Northern Ireland

Hospices cannot be expected to continue operating, let alone expand services to meet growing demand, under the current levels of funding. Continuing and increasing reliance on charitable fundraising to subsidise core clinical services is neither sustainable nor fair. Fundamentally, it risks seriously undermining access to high‑quality palliative and end‑of‑life care.

Hospice Alliance NI remains ready to work constructively with the Health Minister and the Department of Health. However, meaningful progress now requires a clearly funded model which will enable the implementation of the Health Committee Inquiry’s recommendations, within specific timelines and most importantly, supported by urgent investment. 

Liz Cuddy, Chief Executive, Evora Hospice Care;

Donall Henderson, Chief Executive, Foyle Hospice;

Paula Heneghan, Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships & Service, Marie Curie;

Trevor McCartney, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Hospice, and Hospice Alliance NI Chair

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