NHS cuts funding for end-of-life home care service

A hospice charity has said it has lost all of its NHS funding for end-of-life care for people at home.

Weldmar Hospicecare said NHS Dorset would withdraw the £400,000 subsidy from April 2025, representing 40% of the cost of providing the service.

It said the health authority planned to use home care agencies instead.

NHS Dorset said no final decision had been made, but the BBC has been shown a letter confirming the hospice had lost its contract.

The letter, from NHS Dorset's head of commissioning Sarah Hayward, said: "The contract NHS Dorset has with Weldmar expires on 31 March 2025 and it has been decided by NHS Dorset that the contract will not be renewed."

Ms Hayward said the charity could offer care in future by joining a "framework" of providers.

However, Weldmar said the new system was financially unviable.

Chief executive Caroline Hamblett said: "Weldmar was unable to join the Care Framework as under this framework the payment would be substantially less and there would be no guarantee of the number of hours to be commissioned."

She said the charity was already in a "challenging" financial position, with a forecast £1m deficit and a reliance on reserves to fund services.

Ms Hamblett added: "These patients require specialist care and support at home, provided by hospices and other end-of-life care providers who understand the complexity of their symptoms.

"The decision for this care to be provided by domiciliary agencies instead of specialist providers, such as Weldmar, is disappointing.

"The reduction in funding will clearly impact the number of people that Weldmar can support when they need it most."

Sue, who receives Weldmar care at her home in Sherborne, said: "I feel very safe in their hands and it's a very nice feeling that they're there for you.

"They go through everything from living to dying in the nicest possible way, unscary way.

"They do give you hope, of not surviving forever, but [for] everyday life."

In a statement, NHS Dorset said it was reviewing end-of-life care services.

Deputy chief executive David Freeman said: "Once this work is completed, we will have a clearer picture of how services are funded in the future.

"As of now, we can confirm that no final decisions have been made on how this will be delivered and funded.”

Weldmar Hospicecare also operates an inpatient unit next to the Winterbourne Hospital in Dorchester.

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