[England] Hospice leaders warn hundreds of beds out of use

[England] Hospice leaders warn hundreds of beds out of use 
BBC News; by Hugh Pym; 12/4/24 
About 300 hospice inpatient beds are currently closed or out of use in England, hospice leaders have warned. They say a lack of funding and staff are the primary reasons why some of England's 170 hospices have had to close beds permanently or take them out of use. Hospice UK, which represents the sector, is now calling for an urgent package of government funding to prevent further cuts. The Department of Health said it was looking at how to financially support hospices to ensure they are sustainable. ... Hospice UK says about 300 beds are closed or out of use in England - out of a total of 2,200 - and the number is increasing.  
Editor's note: This report is the tip of the iceberg among news articles we regularly see from England about funding, lack of government support, and extreme fundraising (in comparison to the United States) in order to provide hospice services.