ARDGOWAN Hospice has backed calls for the Scottish Government to provide ‘fairer funding’ following a warning that the sector faces an ‘unprecedented collective deficit’ across the country of £16million.

The hospice said it was ‘disappointed’ at the lack up support for hospices in the draft budget set out by depute first minister Shona Robison on Tuesday.

Hospice UK called on ministers to commit greater support as ‘spiralling staffing costs’ stretch facilities’ finances ‘to the brink’.

The end-of-life care charity said many hospices are being forced to consider cutting vital services and draw on limited reserves to meet the shortfall.

Graham Gardiner, CEO of Ardgowan Hospice, told the Telegraph: “We lessen the demand for statutory services by reducing emergency admissions, reducing the length of stay in hospital, supporting people to stay at home, and through our collective fundraising we bring £60million into palliative care across Scotland.

“Ardgowan Hospice is currently one of the lucky ones as we are not faced with cutting services at the moment. Other hospices are not so lucky.

“We never want to get to that point, and just ask for fairer funding from the Government."

Figures from Hospice UK show that 21,000 people are supported by hospices in Scotland annually – with a 20 per cent increase in demand for palliative care anticipated by 2040.

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Helen Malo, policy and advocacy manager for Scotland, said: “We’re disappointed to see no additional funding for hospices in the draft Scottish budget, at a time when many are struggling.

"Hospices across Scotland are facing a collective deficit of £16 million because of statutory funding not keeping pace with historic and recent cost rises, in particular the cost to hospices of matching NHS pay awards to pay their dedicated staff a fair wage.

“To expect hospices to match this through further fundraising, at a time when their local communities may be struggling themselves, is increasingly untenable.

“Hospices support people at the most vulnerable time of their lives, but they urgently need financial support to ensure their services are here now and in the future.

“Hospice staff must be valued for the vital work they do and be treated on a par with NHS colleagues.

“Scottish Government needs to recognise the fragility of hospice funding and provide them with the support they urgently need to continue to care for dying people."