What our MPs think

3:13pm Friday 25th January 2002

Demelza House: The funding campaign steps up as MPs pledge support

The News Shopper is campaigning to get proper NHS funding for children's hospices and hospice care at home for children. This week LINDA PIPER asks Bexley's MPs for their views on the issue

WHEN a child needs the care of a hospice, we all assume, because it is free, the care is paid for by the NHS.

But it is shocking to discover it is often the hospice, and the charity which supports it, which pick up the bill.

If a child is being nursed at home by a specialist charity, we think the NHS is paying for their time.

That is not always the case.

While hospices which care for dying adults get between a third and half their running costs paid for by the Government, children's hospices, on average, receive less than four per cent.

In some cases, such as Demelza House hospice which serves the News Shopper area, they get no block funding at all but are paid only for specific care to a named child when it is part of a care package.

The Ellenor Foundation, which provides hospice care at home for Bexley children, also has no funding from the NHS.

In March, a new chairman will take over at Demelza House Children's Hospice. Chairman of trustees Richard Oldfield is standing down and his successor will be Paul Auston, chairman and chief executive of the Checkmate Avon Group, based in Sheerness. Mr Oldfield will remain a trustee.

A collection of unwanted foreign coins has so far raised £2,500 for Demelza House. If you have any, send it to to Demelza House, Rook Lane, Bobbing, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8DZ.

SWANLEY: "The funding of children's hospice care is a disgrace. There is no other word for it. It takes a huge burden off the NHS. It is high time something was done about it"

MP Michael Fallon has already written to health minister John Hutton, highlighting the issue. "I have attended functions for Demelza House and spoken with its founder," he said: "I am more than happy to take up the issue."

DARTFORD: "Ellenor Foundation and Demelza House do a wonderful job caring for our children and I see no reason why they should not get the same funding level of funding as adult hospices"

MP Howard Stoate said: "The News Shopper's reports about the funding of our children's hospices are a real concern. I shall certainly be putting a question to the minister."

GRAVESHAM: "The Government has set aside £170m for palliative care but children's hospices always fall off the end of the list"

MP Chris Pond blamed some health authorities for not making children's hospice funding a priority. "We should be asking for children's hospice care to be put on a level playing field with adults'. I welcome letters from constituents and I will raise the matter again with the health authority and the Department of Health."

OLD BEXLEY AND SIDCUP: "I am happy to put my shoulder to the wheel on this one. The first thing is to highlight the case and so the News Shopper's campaign is very important"

MP Derek Conway said he has no idea why funding for children's hospice care should be so much less than funds available for adults. He used to work with a children's health charity and said: "I am very happy to take up this issue."

BEXLEYHEATH AND CRAYFORD: "The situation is an anomaly. I don't see why children's and adult's hospice care should be treated any differently. I know the hospice movement does great work"

MP Nigel Beard agrees children's hospice funding should be equal to the amount provided for adults. He has tabled a written question to the health minister on the issue.

ERITH AND THAMESMEAD: "The NHS is not particularly child focused. It treats children as small adults and that raises a series of questions."

MP John Austin believes the problem is an historic one. "All hospices value their independence and don't want to be 100 per cent NHS funded but when they have to raise £1m a year, it becomes extremely difficult." He has written to Health Minister Yvette Cooper asking what strategy is in place to deal with the issue.

How you can help:

- Write to your MP now and urge him or her to ask questions in the House of Commons and raise the issue with the Health Secretary Alan Milburn, to try to bring about a change in NHS funding for children's hospices and hospice care at home.

- If you would like to donate money, either to Demelza House or the Ellenor Foundation, you can send cheques or postal orders to the News Shopper Appeal, Mega House, Crest View Drive, Orpington, Kent BR5 1BT.

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