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Health Ministers Rosie Winterton and Ivan Lewis will reward 146 local hospices on Easter Monday with a share of £40 million of funding from the Department of Health.
The money will improve the physical environment of adult hospices as part of the Department of Health (DH) Dignity in Care for Older People programme and will be allocated to hospices in England caring for people living with terminal illness and facing the end of life.
Health Services Minister, Rosie Winterton, said;
"I am delighted that so many excellent schemes have been rewarded with the funding that they clearly deserve. When you are ill your surroundings are so important to your general well-being. Every patient has the right to be cared for in the best facilities possible. This investment in improving the services and care in hospices will directly benefit these very ill patients and as a result will have a positive effect on their families and friends at what is a very stressful time for everybody.
David Praill, chief executive Help the Hospices said:
"The funded projects reflect the creativity and innovation hospices display in providing care free of charge to patients at the end of their lives and their loved ones. This investment in improving their built environment is welcome as charitable hospices have to collectively raise around £400 million each year to cover their day to day running costs alone. "
Last year it was announced that capital funding amounting to £50m was being made available to hospices in England caring for older people nearing the end of life, with £10m of this having already been made available to Marie Curie Cancer Care. | 