A survey published on 28 March by Hospice UK has found that the cost of living crisis could have a devastating impact on hospices in the UK, and the services they provide.
Following on from this survey, and its stark implications for the UK hospice movement, here is a statement by Maria Timon Samra, Chief Executive of Tŷ Hafan, in relation to the on-going impact of the cost of living crisis on Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice.
“We are waiting to understand the terms of any settlement with NHS Wales as this will directly impact our ability to recruit and retain vital nursing and care staff. We are, naturally, very concerned as this will directly impact our bottom line as we will have to absorb the impact of such increases directly in order to remain competitive and to recruit and retain high valued frontline staff.
“Our fundraising landscape has become increasingly challenging due to the impact of increased overheads and the cost of living crisis on our supporters, on whom we rely for over 90% of our income; this, coupled with the increased costs we face to operate, is increasingly of concern as the Welsh Government has been abundantly clear that there will be no increase in the monies available to support us due to their budgetary constraints.
“Despite promises from Jacob Rees-Mogg that hospices would be at the front of the queue, it seems that, once again, we have been forgotten. The statutory sector has become increasingly dependent on charities like ours so we are in a no-win situation; however we remain resolute in our determination to be there for the children and families who need us.”