Hospice gets uplift of £200k due to pressure

Health Minister Jim Wells said a recent Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) analysis of funding provided to hospices across Northern Ireland revealed the Foyle Hospice needed more money.

Mr Wells made the revelation in response to a question tabled by Sinn Féin MLA Maeve McLaughlin at the Stormont Assembly.

Referring to the HSCB review, Mr Wells explained: “The result of their analysis highlighted that Foyle Hospice had a funding pressure in respect of the services they provide.

“The HSCB, in discussion with the Hospice, Western HSC Trust and the Local Commissioning Group, have agreed the following: To uplift the service level agreement (SLA) with Foyle Hospice by £200,000 in 2014/15, bringing the value of the funding for services in 2014/15 to £662,497; and

“In conjunction with the Foyle Hospice to further review the financial position going forward into 2015/16 and 2016/17.

“The HSCB, Local Commissioning Group and Western Health and Social Care Trust met with Foyle Hospice on November 6, 2014 to confirm the uplifted funding for the 2014/15 SLA.

“The Western Health and Social Care Trust and Foyle Hospice share the services of a Consultant in Palliative Medicine. The Trust is commissioned to fund 50 per cent of this post.”

The Hospice currently provides a range of palliative care services for the Western Trust with inpatient beds, day hospice and community services at its Culmore Road site.

Ms McLaughlin, the Chair of the Stormont Health Committee, who asked Mr Wells about the matter, said: “I very much welcome the news that there will be an uplift in funding for the Foyle Hospice and follows a meeting I had with them during which the issue of the imbalance in funding for the hospice locally was raised and subsequently lead to my assembly question raising the issue.

“Cancer is an illness that has touched practically every family in our city.”