Damien Moore MP visits Claire House Children’s Hospice to thank staff for their hard work and dedication in looking after children and families in their time of need

* Support the growth and implementation of the NHS Children’s Hospice grant, the grant was increased from £11 million pounds to £25 million pounds in December 2018, however it was noted there needs to be more clarity about how access to the further funding can be obtained.

* Funding to only be accessed by children’s hospices, it was pointed out there are many organisations who provide support for children with terminal illness, without specifically being hospices. Therefore, it was discussed whether certain funding should ring fenced for hospices so that money is following the dying child.

* For Damien Moore MP to put his name to the #every dying child campaign-this is a hard hitting campaign which launched in October 2018, the campaign uses blunt language in an attempt to bring peoples attention to the need for further funding to children’s hospices.

CEO David Pastor confirmed the following about Claire’s House Children’s hospice;

* Last year the hospice had 143 referrals- the largest number ever recorded.

* Majority of all referrals are now in the 0-4 age range. (Claire’s House receive people up to the age of 23)

* Over the last six years there has been an increase of 84% in children coming to the hospice.

* There has been a 132% increase in the number of bereaved families the hospice has cared for.

Commenting, Damien Moore MP said:

‘The staff and volunteers at Claire House Children’s Hospice are some of the most compassionate heartfelt people I have met, their fantastic support to the children and their families in their time of need should not be overlooked.

‘CEO David Pastor has a clear vision, he wants to help every dying child, anything short is a failure to him, his conviction has allowed Claire House to help even more children that was possibly thought. I would like to thank him for his fantastic contribution to the hospice and I am happy to support him any way I can.’

‘In these unimaginable circumstances for both the child and family, there is a ray of shining light, which is the hospice in trying to bring some comfort to both in the most difficult of times.’

Commenting, David Pastor said:

‘I have been at Claire House for 8 years now, whilst I am immeasurably proud of everything our incredible team of staff, volunteers and fundraisers have achieved, it is the stories of the families who we have not been able to help, that will always be the most upsetting part of my job.’

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