Earlier this month, I met with @hospiceuk.bsky.social to discuss the future of hospice care, post-NHS 10-year Health Plan. With rising costs, growing demand, and service cuts, as @tobyhporter.bsky.social highlights, this important sector urgently needs investment.

Palliative care consultant @doctoroxford.bsky.social argues that society could unintentionally 'coerce' people into assisted dying because hospice care is underfunded and unable to offer people a real choice between managed pain and suffering or assisted dying.

Hospice funding is complex but yesterday's announcement of £100m is a very welcome boost & we thank @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social for his personal commitment to the hospice sector. Many thanks to @tobyhporter.bsky.social @charliejking.bsky.social & all the team at @hospiceuk.bsky.social

Wes Streeting@rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social · 2y ago

Today Stephen Kinnock and I announce the biggest funding for hospices in a generation: £100 million for improving buildings, kit and technology £26 million grant for children and young people’s hospices An early Christmas present for hospices that do a wonderful job for families.

Everybody who has read, heard or watched anything about assisted dying in recent days, and who has been left with questions, must read this. I guarantee you'll learn something you didn't know.

Dr Rachel Clarke@drrachelclarke.com · 2y ago

I've written about what dying typically looks like - not as a 'pro' or 'anti' AD piece, but in the spirit of confronting a taboo. We've lost the easy familiarity with the patterns of dying that existed when death typically occurred in people’s own homes. Let's talk about it 🙏 @newstatesman.com

Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK, responds to the result of today's vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Read the full statement: www.hospiceuk.org/latest-from-...

One of the very wisest of voices here.

Dr Kathryn Mannix@drkathrynmannix.bsky.social · 2y ago

The oversimplification of the #AD debate is troubling. There are no 'goodies' & 'baddies' here, only people: with varying experience of living & dying, some with professional insights into applying law to medicine in complex circs, or into the myriad ways people & medicine respond to illness. ⬇️ 1/

It’s been an honour to make this programme. Thanks for everyone who spoke to us.

Hospices are facing immense challenges, this is a timely, important look at what’s happening-and why support for hospice care is so vital right now. Keeping Care Alive: Hospices in Crisis? airs tomorrow on ITV, 8:30pm.

Daniel Hewitt@danielhewittitv.bsky.social · 2y ago

🔺Investigation The work of hospices is precious and precarious. We’ve found they’re cutting jobs, beds and home care. 70% of hospices are in financial deficit. They’ve asked the govt for an emergency £110m to avoid more cuts. My piece, including my own experience t.co/Z1DIappWvd

This will be such an important piece...at such an important time.

Daniel Hewitt@danielhewittitv.bsky.social · 2y ago

Putting the final touches to our programme on the funding crisis in end of life care, which airs Thursday on ITV1. I am so grateful to those who opened up to us about their experiences and the hospices who let us in. Keeping Care Alive: Hospices in Crisis? 8:30pm Thursday, ITV1

This podcast is jaw dropping. Well worth a listen.

Daniel Hewitt@danielhewittitv.bsky.social · 2y ago

‘This isn’t a story about housing, Hewitt tells us. “It’s a story about power.”’ The @newstatesman.com reviews our documentary podcast series The Trapped - “vivid and harrowing”. www.newstatesman.com/culture/radi...

Hi everyone, we're pleased to be posting here on Bluesky for the very first time! Expect some updates from our National #HospiceUKConf, starting tomorrow. In the meantime, we've put together a starter pack of hospice people for you 🧡 go.bsky.app/MfxpC23

Hospice people

Join the conversation

go.bsky.app

Interesting polling from More in Common. Just as compelling in my view is another report in The Sunday Times today on life in a hospice. If it were up to me I'd have every MP spend two days in a hospice before voting as Steve Bleach did here. www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcar...

What do hospice patients think about assisted dying?

Our writer’s mind was made up on the issue. But at St Christopher’s he found people determined to appreciate their final days, and the carers making it happen

thetimes.com

Luke Tryl@luketryl.bsky.social · 2y ago

🧵More in Common have spent the past few months polling & talking to people about assisted dying, we've shared our findings in today's Sunday Times. Speaking to people on both sides has been some of the most moving opinion work I've been involved in. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

I made a UK hospice folks starter pack which people going to #HospiceUKconf may find useful. Cc @tobyhporter.bsky.social go.bsky.app/MfxpC23

Whatever your views on assisted dying, read this. I know just a little of the courage it takes for someone to write about the death of their child. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Spending time with people in their final days showed me that we need not assisted dying, but better end-of-life care | Gordon Brown

We can and must improve on our current end-of-life options – ‘Switzerland, suicide or suffering’, says former UK prime minister Gordon Brown

theguardian.com

"Funding palliative care properly is morally right and financially wise." @economist.com nails it it 300 words.

Post you from a different era? My mate's mom's 50th, about 2003-4.

My first post on here and I couldn't be happier it's about this. Dan and his team have been brilliant to work with. This programme could not be better timed, or more important.

Daniel Hewitt@danielhewittitv.bsky.social · 2y ago

Really pleased to say I am presenting an ITV programme on hospice and end of life care. Since my mum received hospice care a decade ago I’ve been investigating the state of the sector and its lack of funding. Keeping Care Alive: Hospices in Crisis? will air on ITV, 8:30pm, Thursday 28th November