Hospice Awareness Week
Imagine NZ Without Hospice
We can't either
A recent report commissioned by five New Zealand hospices, including Otago Community Hospice, has highlighted the incredible value hospices bring to New Zealand, but also the urgent need to rethink how the Government funds hospice services.
Hospices save the health system a staggering $110m every year and deliver a conservative return on investment of $1.59 for every $1 of government funding. They also generate $48m in quality-of-life improvements, $2.6m in well-being benefits and $468k in out-of-pocket cost savings for families.
The value to patients goes beyond money. From avoiding unnecessary trips to emergency departments to timely medical care and whānau support, hospices make a real difference in our communities.
Otago Community Hospice is one of the leading lights in this invaluable service. We have more than 100 staff and a team of volunteers who everyday:
- Take pressure off the strained health system
- Deliver a meaningful service based on need
- Support whānau who are caring for loved ones with a terminal illness
- Reach rural communities that in other regions are not as well serviced
- Come up with innovative solutions to ensure our service remains sustainable
But the cost of running hospice services across the motu have increased massively in recent years, and Government funding has not adjusted for rising costs, leaving many hospices struggling to cover the cost of their service.
The Government funds around 50% of hospice operating costs, with the balance raised in the community, but as costs rise, and the cost of living increases, the ability for the community to fund the balance is reaching its limit.
Add to this, New Zealand’s population is growing and aging. If the percentage of people receiving hospices services remains stable, demand for hospice care will likely grow by 53% by 2045. Here in Otago, our numbers have already risen from 684 patients in 2019, to over 1000 last year.
If the Government's funding model stays the same, hospices will fail to meet the growing demand without making drastic changes to what and how they deliver their services.
“We are running as leanly as possible. We have made cuts in overheads, without impacting delivery, and introduced innovative solutions to ensure our service remains sustainable. But heading into the new financial year we are anxious about the deficit we are facing.”
- Ginny Green, CEO of Otago Community Hospice
To help OCH maintain its invaluable service into the future you can: