* Department of Health invests a further £4.5 million in Marie Curie Hospices
* NHS allocates £15 million in funding for Marie Curie Nursing Services across the UK
Ahead of the publication of the Government's End of Life Care Strategy, Marie Curie Cancer Care has welcomed a renewed commitment from the Department of Health and the National Health Service to ensuring more terminally ill patients have choice in end of life care.
Ivan Lewis MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Care Services has announced an investment of £4.5 million for a new Marie Curie Cancer Care Hospice in Solihull, West Midlands. This follows on from a £10 million capital investment from the Department of Health last year for development and refurbishment work in Marie Curie hospices in North London and Birmingham.
The state of the art Hospice being built in Birmingham will cost an estimated £22 million and the Government is giving another £4.5 million to this today which includes £0.5 million revenue funding for the further development of the Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme.
This announcement comes as Marie Curie Cancer Care celebrates its 60th anniversary with the news of a major increase in NHS commissioning of its nursing services(1).
NHS trusts across the UK will invest an extra £3.8 million in Marie Curie Nursing Services this year, giving more than 21,500 terminally ill people the choice to die at home, surrounded by their loved ones. The NHS has increased its contribution by 34%, from £11,209,607 in 2007/08 to £15,038,000 in 2008/09.
This news follows the publication last week of Lord Darzi's Next Stage Review, which for the first time recognises end of life care as a priority.
Ivan Lewis MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Care Services said:
"People coming to the end of their life and their loved ones deserve high quality support which puts compassionate, dignity and respect at its heart.
"Marie Curie has an excellent track record in providing quality care and is pioneering new ways of working which put the needs of patients and families first.
I am delighted to announce this significant new funding, which will bring the new state of the art hospice in the West Midlands a step closer and support their innovative Delivering Choice Programme."
Thomas Hughes-Hallett, Marie Curie Cancer Care's Chief Executive, said "Marie Curie Cancer Care is encouraged to see end of life care being given the recognition it deserves. Most people want to die at home and Marie Curie Cancer Care has demonstrated, through the Delivering Choice Programme, that it is possible to double the number of people supported to spend their final days at home - at no extra cost to the government.
"We look forward to the End of Life Care Strategy containing firm recommendations for the NHS locally to continue to increase expenditure and develop strategies for delivering end of life care to those who need it. We hope to work with the NHS region by region to ensure that more people have a choice in end of life care."
Hugh Grant, Marie Curie Cancer Care ambassador said: "I'm so pleased to see end of life care becoming a real government priority. When my mother died of cancer she was very keen - as most people are - to spend her last days peacefully at home. Marie Curie made this possible, and I've been a huge fan of theirs ever since. The more people who are able to benefit from their extraordinary work the better, which is why this move by the Department of Health is such good news."