Prime Minister Andy Burnham has told a Wigan hospice campaign that facilities providing palliative and end‑of‑life care should be "properly funded" following the case of a local woman who appealed for fairer support shortly before she died.
Local plea highlights national funding squeeze
The campaign launched by Wigan & Leigh Hospice argues that money from the NHS meets only part of the real cost of delivering specialist care, meaning hospices increasingly depend on donations, fundraising and volunteers to meet needs.
The charity cited the experience of Pauline Westwood, a former pub landlady in Wigan, who received care from the hospice earlier this year and submitted a message urging a fairer funding settlement before her death last month. The hospice said its support helped ease Ms Westwood’s pain and relieve some of the burden on her 27‑year‑old son, Tommy, enabling them to make the most of their final weeks together.
"I've never been a political person, but I do think it's unfair that so much of the money paying for my care is coming from the local community here in Wigan," Ms Westwood wrote before she died.
Prime Minister responds
Responding to the charity’s campaign, Mr Burnham—who took office earlier this week—said he understood what the hospice means to families in Makerfield and pledged to prioritise care. He told the Journal: "We need to make sure hospices are properly funded and we've also got to face up to the pressures right across care." He added that supporting care would be a central focus of his time in Downing Street.
What the hospice says
Wigan & Leigh Hospice emphasised that although they receive some NHS support, it does not cover the full cost of complex palliative services. The charity warned that without a more sustainable and equitable funding settlement, hospices nationally face growing financial strain.
- Patient story: Pauline Westwood asked for fairer funding before her death; her son Tommy was a family carer.
- Charity concern: NHS funding covers only part of costs; hospices rely on donations and volunteers.
- Political response: New Prime Minister Andy Burnham acknowledged the problem and pledged to prioritise care funding.
Local families who rely on hospice services will be watching whether national policy changes follow Mr Burnham’s comments. For the Wigan community, the hospice’s warning underlines long‑standing tensions between statutory funding and the fundraising efforts that keep specialist services running.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Pauline Westwood | Former hospice patient who appealed for fair funding |
| Tommy | Ms Westwood's 27‑year‑old son and carer |
| Wigan & Leigh Hospice | Campaigning charity |
| Andy Burnham | Prime Minister who responded to the campaign |
The hospice’s campaign adds to national debate about how end‑of‑life care is financed. Locally, it has also prompted calls from families and charity supporters for clarity on what a long‑term, sustainable funding settlement would look like for hospices serving Wigan and Leigh.
