NHS slammed over lack of hospice cash

Published on Friday 22 August 2008 10:59

THE NHS has been criticised in a report for not giving enough cash to the city's two hospices.

An Audit Scotland paper showed that NHS Lothian was failing to provide the government-recommended 50 per cent share of voluntary sector running costs.

Both the St Columba's Hospice in north Edinburgh and the Marie Cure Cancer Care facility in Fairmilehead, however, said they were happy with NHS Lothian's contributions.

Privately, NHS bosses are angry to be accused of not meeting their side of the bargain because so much of the help provided for the hospices, like use of NHS facilities, isn't accounted for in the final sums.

The Audit Scotland report shows that the NHS provides 44 per cent of Marie Curie's running costs and 46 per cent of St Columba's.

St Columba's medical director Dr Fred Benton said: "We have no problem with this, and in fact we are very happy with the level of support we get from NHS Lothian."

Dr David Oxenham, director of palliative care for Marie Curie, added: "We are actively engaged in working with NHS Lothian to develop an improved funding model for services we provide."