Ashgate Hospice will receive a share of the Government’s newly released £75 million capital funding for hospices in England.

This funding, part of a wider £100 million package announced last year, is welcome support. It will help us make improvements to our buildings and facilities so we can continue providing the best possible environment for the people we care for.

But it’s important to be clear:

• This is capital funding, which means it can only be used for things like refurbishments and IT upgrades – not for care, staff or day-to-day services.
• Ashgate currently receives just 31% of the cost of our care from local NHS budgets – a percentage that has fallen in real terms year after year.
• That leaves us with an £11 million gap every year that we must raise through donations, retail income, events and fundraising.
• And this gap isn’t being felt equally across Derbyshire. While specialist end of life care is fully funded by the NHS in South Derbyshire, people in North Derbyshire are having to fundraise to help cover the cost of their care. That’s not fair – and we’re determined to keep campaigning for sustainable, equitable funding for everyone.

Barbara-Anne Walker, Chief Executive of Ashgate Hospice, said: “This funding is a welcome investment in our buildings, but it won’t pay for nurses, care, or the vital day-to-day services our community relies on. People in North Derbyshire are being forced to fundraise to pay for essential care that is fully NHS-funded just a few miles away in the south of the county. That’s not right. We will keep fighting for a funding system that is fair, sustainable, and reflects the true cost of delivering outstanding end of life care.”

We remain grateful to our community for their continued support, to the MPs who have supported us and to Hospice UK for their ongoing advocacy on behalf of our sector.