Ian Sollom Meets with ICB and Health Minister to Challenge Funding Decision on Arthur Rank Hospice

My Cambridgeshire Lib Dem colleagues and I recently met with the Minister for Social Care and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) CEO to challenge the decision not to fund the beds under threat of closure at Arthur Rank Hospice, and to call on the Government to put in place long-term funding for palliative and end-of-life care.

This comes after good news that the hospice’s fundraising campaign secured donations to keep all beds open for the next 12 months. The ICB now needs to work with Arthur Rank Hospice on sustainable longer-term funding.

The current evidence to support closing the beds is not strong enough and does not reflect the reality of patients needing end-of-life care who would otherwise face crisis admission to hospital.

Over the next 12 months, we’ll be monitoring closely: are the remaining commissioned beds adequate? Are people dying inappropriately in hospital? The evidence will show whether more beds are needed - and if they are, the ICB must act.

We secured a commitment to a follow-up meeting with the ICB CEO in two months to review progress.

Thank you once again to everyone who signed our petition and donated to Arthur Rank Hospice. The Lib Dems remain firm that hospices like Arthur Rank must remain a central pillar of end-of-life care in all communities.