A hospice charity has warned it is facing a "critical" financial shortfall which could threaten the specialist end-of-life care it provides to patients and families.
Dorothy House supported more than 4,000 people last year across Wiltshire, Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset. But it said rising costs including national insurance and minimum wage hikes, and "stagnant" government funding at 20% of total costs, had had a "major impact" on its financial sustainability.
The cost of running the hospice has risen from £46,000 a day three years ago to £52,000 a day. The charity said despite government plans for a one-off cash injection it is still facing a financial shortfall. It is now appealing to MPs, local influencers and the community to help highlight the situation.
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Wayne de Leeuw, chief executive of Dorothy House Hospice Care, said: “We urgently need the support of our community and the government to ensure we continue offering the specialist care and support that our patients and their families deserve.
"No one should face death alone and yet this financial gap places huge pressure on our workforce to make difficult decisions about who can receive our care, at a time when we want everyone to have equal access to our specialist support.”
He added: "Now, more than ever, we need help to ensure people can die with dignity.”
Dorothy House is appealing for supporters to donate to its Adversity Apeal, visit one of its 27 shops, run a fundraiser or attend an event. It has also called on people to write to their local MP to secure a national settlement that meets the increasing demands of an ageing population.
Emma Lynham, a Dorothy House patient, added: “Everyone dies at some point. But that doesn't necessarily make it any less scary. It makes me think if this hadn't been there, how much harder this journey to death would be. I couldn't have done it. My family couldn’t have done it without Dorothy House.”