PEOPLE’S access to vital end-of-life care should not depend on where they live, Rowcroft Hospice has warned, as it highlights significant differences in NHS funding for hospices across England.

The South Devon charity is backing calls from Hospice UK for a fairer funding system, amid concerns that almost one in three people are not receiving the end-of-life care they need.

Hospice UK, which represents more than 200 member hospices, says variations in NHS funding are among the factors contributing to unequal access to care.

Mark Hawkins, chief executive of Rowcroft Hospice, said people should be able to access hospice services ‘regardless of their postcode’.

He said: ‘The level of NHS funding hospices receive varies hugely across the nation, meaning access to vital end-of-life care can depend on where someone lives’.

The funding disparity is particularly marked in the South West.

Hospices across England receive an average of around 40 per cent of their funding from the NHS, while NHS funding accounts for just 24 per cent of Rowcroft’s annual income.

The charity says this comes as the cost of providing specialist hospice care continues to increase.

Since 2004, Rowcroft’s charitable expenditure has more than doubled, while general prices have risen by 99 per cent.

Over the same period, staff nurse wages have increased by 77 per cent, with the daily cost of employing a staff nurse rising from £84 to £159.

Mr Hawkins said the hospice was facing rising costs at a time when demand for its services was also increasing.

‘Like many hospices, Rowcroft is facing the growing cost of providing specialist care at a time when demand is increasing’, he said.

The charity relies heavily on support from the local community to help maintain its services.

Rowcroft is currently promoting its Sponsor a Nurse initiative, through which regular donations help fund nurses and clinical teams providing care both at the hospice and in patients’ homes.

Mr Hawkins said community support was ‘absolutely essential’ to keeping services available to people who need them.

However, Rowcroft is calling for changes to NHS funding arrangements so that hospices receive support that reflects the growing need for end-of-life care and the true cost of providing specialist services.

The charity says fairer funding would also recognise the role hospices play in supporting patients and families, while potentially reducing pressure on the wider healthcare system.

More information about Rowcroft’s Sponsor a Nurse initiative is available at www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk