RSS Feed

Calling for better hospice funding

Head and shoulders shot of Bishop Martin in a garden setting with a serious expressionBishop Martin is calling for properly funded end of life care as part of the debate around ensuring a dignified death. He highlights a lack of funding for hospices as a key reason why individuals are not able to have a ‘good’ death and are seeking alternative options.

He said: “Hospice beds are being closed right now in the West Midlands, when the need for them is greater than ever. Hospices provide the highest quality palliative care, as well as Hospice at Home, bereavement services and other community support. However, only 20% of their costs are met by the NHS. Why is that? Why do we spend billions on healthcare, yet expect the dying to find help through charity? In Worcester, St Richard’s Hospice is currently having to make staff redundant. The end result can only mean fewer patients able to benefit from their services, fewer people helped to die well, and more pressure put on hard-pressed GPs and hospitals.”

With the Assisted Dying Bill currently going through Parliament, Bishop Martin is keen that MPs recognise that the route to a dignified death lies in the proper funding of palliative care, investment in mental health services, and the delivery of much-needed community support.

“As I’ve reflected on my own experience sitting with those who are dying, the opinion of medical experts, and international evidence, I have become increasingly uncomfortable with the prospect of legalising assisted suicide. While I am deeply sympathetic to those who are afraid of a bad death, I believe that a good death is possible without taking such a step.

“I remember as a young priest, visiting a terminally ill man in his home. He was in great pain and distress and asking to die. Two days later I came back to find that he had been fitted with a morphine driver. With his pain now under control, and good palliative (end of life) care now in place, he was sitting up talking happily with his wife and grandchildren. All talk of prematurely ending his life had gone.

“I support our Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, who wants us to properly fund end of life care. We already know how to help people to die well. We don’t need parliament to pass a new law to help us to do this. But we do need proper funding!”

Published: 25th November 2024
Page last updated: Monday 25th November 2024 2:32 PM

Latest News

Increasing biodiversity at St Nicholas, Warndon

6th December 2024

Members of St Nicholas Church in Warndon, Worcester have been involved in a project to increase the biodiversity in their churchyard. They successfully applied for a grant from Natural Networks which has enabled them to plant a total of 712 plants and install six birdboxes and two mini ponds.

Sign up for the Diocesan Mailing

The Diocesan Mailing is produced every two weeks and contains news, training opportunties and events from around the diocese and wider Church of England. Sign up here.

Send us your news

If you have a news story you'd like to share with us, please email Sam Setchell / 07852 302516. If you have an upcoming event you'd like to publicise, you can add it to our calender.     

Latest Video Reflection

Every two weeks we produce a short video reflection. These cover a range of topics and themes and are published on the website and our social media channels.

Privacy Notice | Powered by Church Edit