Wigan & Leigh Hospice has appealed directly to the new Prime Minister — and to local MP Andy Burnham — to push for fairer, more sustainable funding for hospice services amid mounting financial pressures.
Hospice asks community to back campaign
The hospice is inviting supporters to share personal experiences of hospice care to highlight to ministers why these services matter to families across the borough. Organisers say that while hospices form an essential part of the health and care system, NHS funding covers only a proportion of the true cost of delivering care, leaving charities dependent on the generosity of local people.
Staff and volunteers at Wigan & Leigh Hospice describe day-to-day work that aims to help people with life-limiting illnesses live as well as possible and to support families at the end of life. The campaign seeks to translate those local stories into pressure for policy change at national level.
Personal testimony underlines the appeal
The campaign includes firsthand testimony from people who have used the hospice. A former pub landlady, Pauline, who received hospice support earlier this year, provided a letter backing the appeal before her death last month. She said the care helped control her symptoms and reduced pressure on her son, allowing 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."
Wigan & Leigh Hospice's chief executive, Jo Carby, confirmed the organisation sees daily the difference hospice care makes for patients and families and stressed the growing financial pressures facing hospices.
"Every day we see the difference hospice care makes to local people and those closest to them. We also see the growing pressures facing hosp...
What the hospice provides and why funding matters
- Specialist palliative and end-of-life care for local people.
- Support aimed at helping patients live well for as long as possible.
- Assistance designed to help families make the most of precious time together.
The hospice’s appeal is focused on securing a more sustainable funding settlement nationally so that local fundraising does not have to fill gaps in core service provision.
| Issue | Detail |
|---|---|
| Funding | NHS covers only a proportion of costs |
| Reliance | Services depend on local community generosity |
For residents concerned about the future of local palliative care, the hospice is prompting people to add their voices by sharing how hospice care affected them or their loved ones. The intention is to present a clear, local case to the Prime Minister and to Wigan's MP that current funding arrangements should be reviewed to secure long-term sustainability.
As the new Government settles, local health services and charities will be watching closely to see whether pledges on funding follow community appeals.
