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<p>Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for determining the level of locally
available, National Health Service funded palliative and end of life care, including
hospice care. ICBs are responsible for ensuring that the services they commission
meet the needs of their local population.</p><p>The majority of palliative and end
of life care is provided by NHS staff and services. However, we also recognise the
vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, play in providing
support to people at end of life, and their families. Most hospices are charitable,
independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services.
The amount of funding hospices receive is dependent on many factors, including what
other statutory services are available within the ICB footprint. Charitable hospices
provide a range of services which go beyond that which statutory services are legally
required to provide. Consequently, the funding arrangements reflect this.</p><p>In
July 2022, NHS England published statutory guidance and service specifications for
commissioners on palliative and end of life care, setting out the considerations for
ICBs to meet their legal duties, and making clear reference to the importance of access
to services.</p><p>The Department and NHS England, alongside key partners, will continue
to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent
hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face, including
that of future funding pressures. The Department is in ongoing discussions with NHS
England, including its National Clinical Director, about the oversight and accountability
of National Health Service palliative and end of life care commissioning.</p><p>From
April 2024, NHS England will include palliative and end of life care in the list of
topics for its regular performance discussions between national and regional leads.
These national meetings will provide an additional mechanism for supporting ICBs in
continuing to improve palliative and end of life care for their local population.</p><p>NHS
England has commissioned the development of a palliative and end of life care dashboard,
which brings together relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners
understand the palliative and end of life care needs of those in their local population,
enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health
inequalities. Additionally, the National Institute for Health and Care Research has
established a new Policy Research Unit to build an evidence base on palliative and
end of life care, with a specific focus on inequalities.</p>
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