Crucial funding cuts announced for Mountbatten

Retiring Mountbatten CEO, Nigel Hartley, has hit out at mainland NHS bosses’ decision to withdraw around £1.4million funding for the Island’s only hospice, claiming: “The NHS has always ignored the dying.”

The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) has just announced a ‘reallocation of system funding for hospices’. Their devastating decision means Mountbatten will lose £1.4m-a-year in critical funding, with around £600,000 being cut this autumn, without prior warning. The charity now faces disinvestment of around 40 per cent by the NHS by 2026/7.

In a emotional outburst, Mr Hartley, who retires later this year, said: “The NHS has always ignored the dying. People who are at the most vulnerable times of their lives are an easy target for disinvestment. That is why hospices were established in the first place.

“I have long since warned that hospice care, as we know it, is dying. How we care for the most vulnerable people in our society is at the heart of who we are, and it seems clear to me that Hampshire and Isle of Wight’s ICB is intent on destroying this.

“This will lead to devastating loss — both in vital services for Islanders facing death and dying, along with their family, friends and carers, and in the potential employment for some of our incredible Mountbatten staff.”

For more than a decade, Mountbatten has received around a third of its money from the ICB, which distributes NHS funding to healthcare services on the Island.

While the Island hospice has been told it will get less cash, a number of hospices in Hampshire are seeing a rise in their allocated funds.

Incoming Mountbatten CEO, Becky McGregor, said: “The NHS commissioners’ hugely disappointing decision — amounting to funding cuts — has been made without direct meaningful consultation, engagement or negotiation with Mountbatten. It is one that will have a wide-ranging and significant impact on Islanders.”

The changes will be enforced in the autumn when Mountbatten’s current contract with the NHS ends.

The Chairman of Trustees, Sir Ian Cheshire, said: “Cutting funding to Mountbatten will adversely affect the Islanders who need us and the services they rely on. It is a huge blow to our charity, which leads the way in end-of-life care. We demand Hampshire & Isle of Wight NHS commissioners reconsider their appalling decision.”

A spokeswoman for the ICB said: “We have a duty to ensure fair, equitable funding for all hospices across Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and we are exploring ways to support Mountbatten Isle of Wight going forward and discussions will continue with the hospice.”

“We are committed to ensuring that more care is provided in the community close to where people live. We see hospices and end of life care services as a core part of this which will also create new opportunities for the sector.”