“There’s a big debate in Parliament today about assisted dying, but there needs to be much more discussion around the assistance we give to people before they die”
Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne has today launched a hospice funding campaign as MPs debated the government’s controversial assisted dying bill, which was passed by Parliament this afternoon. Mr Byrne, who was one of the driving forces behind the city-wide campaign to save Zoe’s Place after the baby hospice was threatened with closure, said that there “needs to be much more discussion around the assistance we give to people before they die”.
The MP shared a petition online today, Friday November 29, calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to give hospices the “funding they need”. In a video shared with the petition, he said: “There’s a big debate in Parliament today about assisted dying, but there needs to be much more discussion around the assistance we give to people before they die. Hospices are facing a funding crisis
“They provide palliative and end-of-life care. It is an essential service, not a luxury. But the sector is said to be in a £60 million deficit this year, forcing cuts and even closures.
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“In Liverpool, Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in my constituency was on the brink of closing down. I met with the trustees and was told what needed to happen: raise £5 million in 30 days or it would close for good. And Liverpool rose magnificently to the challenge.
“The city rallied to the call and saved the baby hospice. But as a constituent said to me: ‘We shouldn’t have to sell charity cupcakes to care for seriously sick children.’ And that’s absolutely right, but that’s the state we’re in.
“End of life care isn’t fully funded. Just one third of hospice income comes from the government. The rest comes from charitable donations.
“I’ve brought a bill to Parliament to put funding for children’s hospices on a sustainable footing. And now I need you to sign my petition calling on the Prime Minister to give all hospices the funding they need to survive and thrive into the future.”
You can find the ‘Fund end-of-life care’ petition by clicking here.
