Michael Fabricant joined forces with Labour MP, Bambos Charalambous (MP for Enfield Southgate) today (23^rd May 2018) to provide for additional help for the growing national hospice movement.

Michael says “The St Giles Hospice – whose headquarters is in Whittington near Lichfield – supports over 7,000 people each year from its four sites in Whittington, Walsall, Sutton Coldfield and a shared site in Uttoxeter.  Nearly 1,500 volunteers assist the paid staff of around 400.  But the running costs are around £9 million annually with 65% being funded locally and only 35% from the Government.

“I am acutely aware that while the pay rises for NHS nurses will be welcomed, this puts yet an additional strain on the running costs of hospices like St Giles.”

So today, Michael backed the ‘Terminal Illness (Provision of Palliative Care and Support for Carers) Bill’ introduced by Mr Charalambous.  Its provisions include ‘the provision of comprehensive palliative care to those with terminal illnesses, including adults over the age of 60; to require certain public bodies to co-operate with hospices in the provision of palliative care; to make provision for support for those caring for individuals with a terminal illness; and for connected purposes.’

Michael adds:  “Many of us will have been touched by the work of St Giles either directly or indirectly.  Of the 7,000 directly helped last year, 1,681 received nursing support at home in in 2016, 2,306 received bereavement support, and just under 700 stayed as an in patient.  As we all grow older, the need increases.

“I am currently considering a number of fund raising initiatives to help raise additional sources of income for St Giles Hospice and I hope to announce a different sort of fund raiser in the next few weeks.”