Opinion: The Government must act now to save our hospices — before it’s too late

When I first visited Arthur Rank Hospice earlier this year, I was struck by the calm, dignified atmosphere. The staff were warm, compassionate, and dedicated — providing comfort to families during some of the hardest days of their lives. It was impossible not to be moved by their care and professionalism.

That’s why it is utterly devastating that this vital service — a place that has supported countless families in our community — is now facing the loss of nine of its 23 beds due to an £829,000 funding cut. More than 200 local patients every year could be denied access to hospice care, forcing many to spend their final days in hospital instead of in the peace and comfort they deserve.

This is not an isolated issue — it reflects a national crisis in hospice funding. Across the country, two in five hospices are planning cuts this year, and more than half ended 2024–25 in deficit, with one in five losing over £1 million. These financial pressures are being felt acutely by hospice teams — those who hold your hand, comfort your loved ones, and provide dignity when it matters most.

At the national level, my Liberal Democrat colleagues and I have already secured an important step forward: after sustained pressure, the Government has agreed to move from annual to three-year funding cycles for children’s hospices — a vital step towards long-term stability. But we can’t stop there. Adult hospices like Arthur Rank remain at risk.

Pippa Heylings (MP for South Cambridgeshire), Ian Sollom (MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire) and I have joined forces to fight back. Together, we’ve launched a petition to save Arthur Rank Hospice’s beds and protect hospice care for all. More than 15,000 people have already added their names — and soon we’ll deliver this petition straight to 10 Downing Street.

Today, I’m asking you to add your voice. Every signature sends a clear message to the Government: our community will not stand by while vital hospice beds are lost.

Please sign and share the petition with your friends and family before we take it to Downing Street on 3 November:
👉 www.ecld.org.uk/campaigns/save-arh-beds

Hospices provide something that can’t be captured in a spreadsheet or budget line: humanity, compassion and dignity. Losing them would be a moral failure — one that none of us should accept.