Grimsby hospice facing challenging times

A Grimsby hospice says the sector is more challenging than ever before.

It comes as Hospice UK is warning that the sector across the country is at risk of a financial crisis with increased staff costs.

MPs will debate hospice funding in the House of Commons this afternoon.

We spoke to Michelle Rollinson the Chief Executive of St. Andrews Hospice in Grimsby and asked her about the future.

"I think something's got to happen., we've got to get support from the government around to kind of increase funding."

There's only so much we can ask the community

"Because the future of the sector, I think is, is, is really, really precarious, if I'm honest."

"You know that there are over 90% of hospices reporting a deficit budget this financial year, which I know, kind of has been quoted and things as as kind of being around 77 million and you know that is just for this financial year, the shortfall."

"Of our services, and I think it's it's worth recognising as well that as hospices we we significantly contributing as a charity to the local health economy as well."

"So for instance, for every pound that the government and that the statutory sector fund, the hospices, we're putting in an additional 3 or £4.00 into our local communities."

"So you know when when we're talking around the the deficit and the shortfall."

"There's only so much that we can ask our our community to step up really."

The numbers needing care is only going to grow

"And you know, and it has to be has to be a joint approach."

"So where where we are increasing and as charities and as as hospices, we're increasing our income from lots of different ways."

"You know we're trying to do what we can to to really expand and to grow."

"As charities and as hospices we are increasing our income from lots of different ways."

"Fundraising but also our charity shop - we're trying to do what we can to really expand and grow some of those income streams but there's only so much as charities we can do."

"I think it's recognising we are an ageing population - we do have people that are living longer now but quite often with multiple illnesses."

"The care we give to these people are only going to grow - it's only going to get bigger."

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