§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what support has been provided by his Department to individual hospices in each of the last three years; [100137]
(2) what role he proposes for hospices in health improvement programmes. [100139]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 30 November 1999]: The development of health improvement programmes is led by the health authority in partnership with the whole range of local interests, including those who provide local services and those who use local services either as patients or carers, the organisations that represent them, such as community health councils, voluntary sector organisations, support and community groups. This will, where appropriate, include the involvement of hospices and will provide a further opportunity for them to contribute to the development at a local level of strategies for palliative care provision. The need for high quality palliative care should be considered locally as part of the health improvement programme process.
Approximately a third of hospice running costs are met through the National Health Service.
Some £20 million will also be made available to palliative care from the National Lottery new opportunities fund for the cancer detection, treatment and care initiative. The initiative will be launched early in the new year.