Integrated Care Board funding for children’s hospices in England

That this House notes with concern the huge variance in local NHS spending on children’s hospice and palliative care in England, as found in the recent freedom of information requests published by the charity Together for Short Lives; is concerned that the amounts spent by each NHS integrated care board (ICB) varied by as much as £483 per child or young person in 2022-23; is also concerned by the lack of understanding among ICBs on the number of children who need palliative care or the numbers accessing services; calls on the Government to urgently confirm how and when the £25 million NHS England Children’s Hospice Grant will be distributed in 2024-25; further calls on the Government to direct NHS England to hold ICBs to greater account for the way in which they commission children’s palliative care; asks the Government to direct NHS England to ensure ICBs work with neighbouring ICBs in their region to plan and fund children’s palliative care services; and also calls on the Government to commit to a dedicated long-term strategy in the NHS mandate that addresses the palliative care needed by children and young people.