Reacting to news in The i Paper that the UK Government is developing a new modern service framework for palliative and end of life care in England, Nick Carroll, Chief Executive of Together for Short Lives, said:
“The news that ministers have asked government and NHS officials to develop a new all-age palliative care modern service framework is positive. It offers an important opportunity to make clear who should be responsible for planning, funding and evaluating these lifeline services for seriously ill children and their families. I welcome plans to involve Together for Short Lives, as well as families, professionals and services, to coproduce it.
“The framework will, however, only solve the challenges in accessing palliative care that ministers have identified if it is implemented at local and regional level. To achieve this, it will need to be supported by action to boost the workforce and use it more effectively, fill the £310 million gap in NHS funding for children’s palliative care and hold NHS bodies to account in putting the framework in place.
“Only by doing so will the framework fully achieve the shift from hospital to community for seriously ill children and their families, many of whom do not have time to wait.
“The framework will, however, only solve the challenges in accessing palliative care that ministers have identified if it is implemented at local and regional level. To achieve this, it will need to be supported by action to boost the workforce and use it more effectively, fill the £310 million gap in NHS funding for children’s palliative care and hold NHS bodies to account in putting the framework in place.”
More information on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and the implications this could have for seriously ill children and young people, their families and the professionals and services that support them can be found here.
—————–
About Together for Short Lives
Seriously ill children and their families deserve the chance to live a full life, supported by care that enables them to thrive.
But for many, it’s a lonely and isolating experience. Parents and siblings struggle in a system that doesn’t meet their uniquely challenging needs.
That’s why we’re here – to make sure they can access high quality children’s palliative care, when and where they need it. Step by step, hand in hand, day by day, so that no one has to face living through their child’s short life – and death – alone.
Together we support families through difficult times, offering lifeline practical, emotional and financial help. And, when they’re ready, we connect them to our incredible community – people who really get what they’re going through.
Together we unite our sector. We help professionals and services to pool their knowledge and expertise, to deliver outstanding children’s palliative care. We are collaborative and inclusive, we push boundaries and lead the conversation to find new and better ways of doing things.
Together we campaign to make sure that seriously ill children and their families get the care and support they need. We rally the community and give people a voice. And where the system falls short, we demand change.
Supporting, uniting, campaigning, together. Because time is short. We are Together for Short Lives.
togetherforshortlives.org.uk |
Leave a Reply