Minister Stephen Kinnock used the Hospice UK conference to confirm that the government will publish a Palliative and End‑of‑Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England by spring 2026. The framework is intended to standardise access and quality, accelerate the shift of care from hospital to community, and give Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) a clearer commissioning mandate, according to the minister’s statement.
The MSF will be aligned with the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and NHS England’s recently issued medium‑term planning framework. Ministers indicated it will be woven into the long‑term workforce plan and the neighbourhood health framework to consolidate community provision and improve continuity of care.
Officials set out five elements for the framework. It will define a focused, time‑bound outcome goal; identify a package of evidence‑based interventions with an emphasis on value and equity; establish adoption support for ICBs, clinicians and providers to reduce unwarranted variation; highlight priority innovations with the greatest potential over the next decade; and set out how government will work with partners to adopt and spread these changes, including a shift from paper to digital.
Once published, oversight will sit with the National Quality Board, creating a mechanism to track progress and intervene where uptake lags. Priority areas flagged in the speech include earlier identification of need, routine use of shared care records and advance care plans, strengthened 24/7 community support, and multidisciplinary continuity so more people can remain in their preferred place of care.
The commissioning model is expected to evolve. Ministers signalled a move away from grant and block contracts towards more strategic commissioning by ICBs. The objective is to reduce the postcode lottery while allowing justified local variation based on population need and service innovation. For providers, this points to clearer specifications, consistent outcome measures and greater emphasis on demonstrable impact.
Alongside reform, the government pointed to near‑term investment. In December it allocated £100 million in capital funding to adult and children’s hospices in England across two financial years, administered by Hospice UK. Around 150 hospices have used funds to purchase beds, upgrade IT systems and refurbish family spaces, with energy‑efficiency works intended to lower running costs and release revenue for care.
Revenue support for children’s hospices has also been extended. The Children’s Hospice Grant has been guaranteed for three years through to 2028–29, worth about £80 million in total. Ministers said the multi‑year commitment is designed to avoid annual cliff‑edges and provide greater planning certainty for services and families.
Case studies were used to illustrate practical impact. Kinnock cited capital works at Wigan and Leigh Hospice, noting that essential upgrades such as roofing and heating reduce maintenance pressure and free budgets for care. He reiterated the ambition for more people to be supported at home where clinically appropriate, with neighbourhood health teams expanding community‑based provision.
The minister acknowledged system pressures: rising complexity, increased demand and persistent inequalities in access, alongside a tight fiscal context. He pointed to national debt of around 95% of GDP and debt interest close to £100 billion annually, which constrains scope for additional immediate funding even as government seeks to stabilise services.
Evidence highlighted in the speech focused on out‑of‑hours access. A 2021–2023 evaluation of a Liverpool palliative and end‑of‑life care hub operating a dedicated 24/7 phone line reported improved identification of people with palliative needs, fewer emergency admissions and hospital deaths, and more deaths at home, aligning with stated public preferences.
On legislation, Kinnock referenced the Terminally Ill Adults Bill. The government has adopted a neutral stance and characterised the question as one for Parliament. He said that, if enacted, ministers would implement the law safely and practicably; irrespective of the Bill’s passage, he emphasised that improving palliative and end‑of‑life care remains a priority.
For hospices and commissioners, the near‑term implications are practical. Providers are likely to align service models with the forthcoming MSF, ensure digital readiness for shared care records and advance care planning, and strengthen reliable 24/7 community support. ICBs can expect more consistent commissioning requirements, with National Quality Board oversight monitoring delivery and tackling unwarranted variation.
Development of the MSF will involve sector partners, including the Ambitions Partners, with publication targeted for spring 2026. After publication, government intends to move into implementation through statutory guidance, regional support and monitoring of the shift to strategic commissioning, with the stated aim of improving access, quality and sustainability across England.