Hospices

The UK hospice sector plays a critical role in providing palliative and end-of-life care, focusing on the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients, as well as providing support for families and care-givers. Hospices also support children and young people who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting conditions, and their families.

Hospices are primarily charitable organisations, relying heavily on donations and fundraising to supplement NHS funding, which is on average less than 30% of the cost of the care that hospices provide.

Hospices are facing increasing pressures, in particular financial challenges, which are leading to many cutting services. This is at the same time as demand for hospice care is increasing, as with the combination of demographic trends and medical advances, more and more people are living with complex, long-term conditions. Given all of this, strategic governance, sustainable leadership, and operational resilience are more important than ever.

Hospices are complex organisations engaged in a wide range of activities and operating in a highly regulated environment. GGI can offer support in the following areas:

1. Governance and compliance reviews: hospices must maintain strong governance structures to meet regulatory requirements and ensure effective oversight. Consultancy services provide governance reviews using the charity governance code to assess board effectiveness, leadership, accountability, and risk management. These reviews help hospices meet the expectations of the Charity Commission, strengthen internal processes, and mitigate risks.
2. Strategic development: with increasing demand for hospice care and financial pressures, many hospices are looking to adapt their service delivery models. GGI offers support to help hospices develop their strategy, for example in exploring new care delivery models such as expanding community-based and home care services. Strategic planning ensures that hospices can continue delivering high-quality care while addressing financial sustainability.
3. Leadership development and board effectiveness: GGI offers leadership training to executive teams, mentoring, and development programmes to boards of trustees. These programmes enhance decision-making capabilities and ensure that leaders are well-equipped to guide the hospice through times of change and uncertainty.
4. Quality assurance and inspection preparation: preparing for inspections by regulatory bodies like the CQC is critical for maintaining a positive reputation to provide assurance to patients, carers and those who provide funding, whether that be from the NHS, the community, or grant funding. GGI can help hospices to implement quality assurance processes, conduct mock inspections, and prepare staff for regulatory reviews.
5. Risk management and safeguarding: with vulnerable individuals in their care, hospices must have robust safeguarding policies and risk management strategies in place to protect patients, manage risks effectively, and maintain public trust. GGI can provide risk assessments, help develop safeguarding frameworks, and implement crisis management protocols. We can also support the board in identifying and managing strategic risks, and in setting and applying the risk appetite.

Issues list:

• Assisted Dying Bill: currently going through parliament. This will have significant implications for the sector, including the possible impact on hospice operations and the potential diversion of limited resources away from the sector.
• Ongoing workforce pressures in end-of-life care: the sector faces significant workforce pressures, with shortages of specialist palliative care nurses and care staff.
• Government funding and policy reforms: the sector has long advocated for more consistent government funding to support palliative care services. Although some short-term financial support has been provided, long-term solutions are needed to address the funding gap.