Shadow Finance Minister and Chair of the Cross Party Group on Hospices and Palliative Care in the Welsh Parliament, Mark Isherwood MS, has challenged the Finance Minister over the missing £5.7 million in extra funding received by the Welsh Government from the UK Government in consequence of increased funding for Hospices in England this financial year.

Speaking in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood said Hospices in Wales face an estimated combined shortfall of £6.1 million during 2021-22, and asked the Finance Minister why the Welsh Government have failed to provide them with all of the additional funding received.  

He said:

“Questioning you last month, I stated that although the Welsh Government initially allocated £6.3 million to the Hospice Emergency Fund, this was less generous than equivalent funds in all other UK nations, and fell significantly short of the total allocated to the Welsh Government in consequential funding from the UK Government's support for Hospices in England. However, our hospice and community palliative care sector has continued to provide vital care and essential services throughout the pandemic.

“Hospices in Wales were facing a combined shortfall of £4.2 million by this month, but after I led the Debate on Palliative and End of Life Care here last month, the Welsh Government only announced £3 million extra to support them.

“Further, there was no indication in your Draft Budget for 2021-22 of continued support for Hospices in Wales to maintain their essential services, despite their estimated combined shortfall of £6.1 million during 2021-22.

“In response to a Labour MP last month, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury stated that the £249 million new UK Government funding for Hospices generated £47 million in consequentials for the devolved administrations, including £15 million for the Welsh Government.

“Why, therefore, have you not allocated - and even topped up - the missing £5.7 million to Hospices in Wales, both to respond to their urgent funding needs and to enable them to deliver more, thereby generating greater cost reductions for NHS Wales?”

The Finance Minister said “the funding package that we did put in place for the sector was done so in discussion and consultation with the sector.”

She added: “If it is the case that hospices are telling you that the funding that they receive isn't meeting the needs, then obviously we would want to have those discussions with the hospice sector,”