Cambridgeshire MPs celebrate Arthur Rank Hospice funding success and secure ministerial meeting

Cambridgeshire’s three Liberal Democrat MPs, who have been campaigning to save vital specialist palliative care beds at Arthur Rank Hospice following a devastating funding cut, are delighted that the hospice has secured significant funding from public donations which it projects will allow it to keep the beds open for the next 12 months. 

Charlotte Cane MP, Pippa Heylings MP and Ian Sollom MP have expressed their gratitude to all those who signed the 15,000 strong petition and who have kindly donated to the campaign. The massive fundraising drive has delivered an unprecedented response and gives the hospice a 12-month reprieve allowing time to secure more permanent funding.

Cambridgeshire’s three Liberal Democrat MPs have secured a meeting with the Minister of State for Social Care and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board (ICB) next Wednesday. They will be pushing for evidence to show the demand for end-of-life care across Cambridgeshire, and the ICB’s strategic commissioning of that demand, including through the Arthur Rank Hospice.  

New information shared yesterday shows that the impact of cutting this funding will be to see more corridor care in our hospitals, where emergency care is already on its knees. We will be raising these significant findings in our meeting with the minister on Wednesday.

Charlotte Cane, Pippa Heylings and Ian Sollom said; 

“Everyone deserves and needs good quality end of life care, and we don’t think that this should be completely dependent on the community coming to save the day. These are some of the most precious moments for family and loved ones and so it is vital that end of life care is properly funded by the Government.”