Fergus Ewing MSP for Inverness and Nairn, has issued a call for urgent action to address the funding gap facing hospices across Scotland, including the Highland Hospice.
After receiving a significant number of emails from concerned constituents.
After Meeting with Kenny Steele, Chief Executive of Highland Hospice, Mr Ewing has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray, urging the Scottish Government to take responsibility for funding what should be a nationally supported service.
The Highland Hospice has been a vital part of the Highland Community for decades, providing compassionate care and support to individuals with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
However, the hospice relies heavily on local donations and fundraising efforts, a situation Mr Ewing describes as “deeply unfair”.
Mr Ewing commented:
“The Highland Hospice has done extraordinary work for so many years, and it is a cornerstone of our community.
“It is unacceptable that they have to rely so heavily on the generosity of the people of the Highlands to fund what is a national healthcare necessity.
“The Highlands are paying for what should be a national service, and it is time the Scottish Government stepped up to provide the support our hospices need.
“This is an issue of fairness and compassion.
“Hospices play a critical role not just in providing care but also in reducing the burden on our overstretched NHS.
“A small fraction of the funds currently spent of health service bureaucracies in the central belt could go a long way in securing the future of hospice care here in the Highlands.
“Raigmore Hospital is increasingly become a care home by default, which is neither cost-effective nor in line with what most people want at the end of their lives.
“Currently patients in their last year of life account for 1 in 5 emergency ambulance conveyances, 1 in 4 unscheduled care attendances to hospital, and 1 in 3 occupied unscheduled beds in hospital.
“In the Highlands, 75% of the annual £45 million spent on end of life care is directed toward hospital care, even though most people would prefer to be cared for at home.
“Highland Hospice have already demonstrated that better planned and coordinated care, delivered at home or in the community, not only provide the care people want but also saves money.
“For example their 24/7 Palliative Care Helpline and rapid response services are reducing hospital stays, saving £2.3 million in just six months, while providing dignity and comfort to patients and families.
“If NHS Highland shows leadership by working collaboratively with the Highland Hospice, we can scale up this approach across the Highlands, using tax money far more effectively.
“A key step would be for NHS GP Practices to follow the example of private GPs and sign up to use these essential palliative care services.”
Mr. Ewing has pledged to continue advocating for a sustainable, national funding model to ensure that hospices like Highland Hospice can continue their invaluable work for years to come.
