TY HAFAN is being allocated a share of £2.2 million from Welsh Government

As part of Welsh Government’s end-of-life care review, £2.2 million is being given to Welsh hospices – with £888,000 going to two children’s hospices: Ty Hafan in Sully and Ty Gobaith, in Tonypandy.

This funding is on top of the £13.8 million already allocated by the Welsh Government to support the sector and strengthen bereavement support.

The announcement is part of phase one of the end-of-life care review. The second phase will look at wider end-of-life care provision from April 2022, overseen by the new programme board for end-of-life care.

The funding, allocated in the Welsh Government’s draft budget, will be distributed on a recurring basis from April 2022 onwards.

Minister for health and social services Eluned Morgan said: "Hospices providing essential care to more than 20,000 people in Wales affected by terminal illnesses each year, helping to prevent avoidable admissions to hospital. More than 85 per cent of that care is provided in the community.

“This has never been more needed than over the last two years when, throughout the pandemic, hospices have been there to support patients, families and carers.”

Before the Covid pandemic, approximately two-thirds of hospices’ income came from fundraising activities. The Welsh Government’s emergency funding of £13.8 million was used to support hospices as they lost income from charitable activities which were cancelled as a result of lockdown restrictions.

Chief executive of Ty Hafan, Maria Timon Samra, said: “Together with Ty Gobaith we have been campaigning for a sustainable funding solution for Wales’ children’s hospices. 

“We are delighted by the Welsh Government's commitment to act on the recommendations of the hospice funding review, an important first step in achieving this goal. 

"We look forward to continuing to work with them to create a Wales that is more compassionate and supports children with life-limiting conditions and their families for whom our hospices are often the only place they can receive crisis and respite care and support.” 

The end-of-life care review was led by a NHS Collaborative team which analysed information submitted by hospices and held regular meetings.