Hospice Tairāwhiti calls for 'fairer' funding

Hospice Tairāwhiti general manager Barbara Grout says the facility is facing a $700,000 operating deficit this year. “We need a fairer system of funding,” she says. Hospices throughout New Zealand are working as a collective, advocating for a better funding strategy. Picture by Paul Rickard

Hospice Tairāwhiti is backing calls for the incoming Government to introduce a “fairer” funding system, as it faces a $700,000 deficit this year.

“Hospice Tairāwhiti faces the same challenges as the rest of the hospice sector,” chief executive Barbara Grout said.

“There is no consistency in funding, with all hospices being funded differently. What is consistent is that we are all significantly underfunded. On average, hospices are funded 65.8 percent.

“Communities should not be shouldering the burden of funding what is arguably a core health service.

“Hospice, as a sector, is underfunded and we need a fairer system that backs the right of everyone in New Zealand to access quality palliative care wherever they live and wherever they die.

“Hospices throughout New Zealand are working as a collective, advocating for an equitable and sustainable funding system that addresses these issues.”

Hospice Tairāwhiti gets a set amount of money each year, adjusted for inflation.

However, it does not receive any increase in funding to address increasing patient numbers.

“This year we are forecasting an operational deficit of around $700,000, which needs to be raised from the community, by way of our shop, fundraising events, grants, donations and bequests.”

Hospice Tairāwhiti’s latest annual report, released earlier this month stated there had been a 17 percent increase in referrals, an eight percent increase in admitted patients, and a 29 percent increase in average daily case load.

“The clinical team report they are seeing more complex cases than previously, possibly due to pressures on other healthcare services,” the report said.

“This year we provided specialist care to 233 people and their whānau, an increase of 6 percent on the previous year. Those receiving our services ranged in age from 19 to 100 and 12 percent resided rurally.

“One of our goals is for people to be able to die in their place of choice, whether that be home, hospital, or aged care. Of the 141 people who died during the year, 84 percent were able to do so in their place of choice.”

Hospice New Zealand is calling on the new National-led Government to fund hospices differently.

It asks for a commitment from the Government that a “fairer, sustainable funding model for hospices is addressed with urgency” in collaboration with Te Whatu Ora, Hospice New Zealand and the hospice sector.

It also calls for a national service specification for community specialist palliative care, that recognises and upholds the right of communities to equitable and accessible palliative care across Aotearoa New Zealand.

In addition, it asks the Government to honours its pledge to ensure pay parity for the critical primary and community “cradle to grave” health care sector, with steps and time-frames outlined on how this will be addressed.

It also calls for a clear strategy to address workforce shortages including immigration, undergraduate and post-graduate training and specialist medical training.