Recommendation 6

The NHS is at risk of losing the huge value it gains from independent hospices beyond the provision of statutory palliative and end-of-life care. Independent hospices provide enhanced care compared with the NHS, such as complementary therapies, funded from charitable donations. As well as patient care, they provide expert advice and training on palliative and end-of-life care to the NHS. Their independence enables a degree of innovation in care delivery methods that the NHS cannot easily replicate, and they are leading the move to provide more palliative care in community settings. NHS England acknowledges that hospices are a key part of the delivery of neighbourhood care, for example through their provision of 24/7 palliative care advice lines that support communities and help reduce hospital admissions. Hospices are increasingly supporting wider community services, such as care homes and general practice. The financial situation of the hospice sector puts the Department and NHS England at risk of losing this value and having to dedicate resources to replace the lost expertise. recommendation The Department and NHS England should ensure the Modern Service Framework will thoroughly examine: • the full range of wider benefits that independent hospices provide and that the NHS gains from; and • how the Department will protect and support the provision of these benefits in the future.