28
Rejected
Collaboratives are groups of independent hospices within an ICB region, including Marie Curie, Sue Ryder...
Conclusion
Collaboratives are groups of independent hospices within an ICB region, including Marie Curie, Sue Ryder and children’s hospices where they are present, which work in partnership, developing a more coordinated approach to the provision of palliative and end-of-life care across a region. The NAO reported that there are currently seven well-established collaboratives covering individual ICBs: three in the North West region, two in the North East and Yorkshire region and two in the South East region. There are another five collaboratives that have been established but are at an early stage of development, and six groups of hospices that are considering collaboratives.64
Government Response Summary
The government rejects an implied recommendation to intervene in or direct the working practices of hospice collaboratives, stating it's not their role to set the operating models for independent organisations. However, it will consider how to support and spread good practice for these models through the MSF.
Government Response
Rejected
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. The government recognises that hospice collaboratives can play an important role in improving sustainability, reducing duplication and strengthening the quality and consistency of services. There are already examples of this in practice, with hospices in several areas working in partnership to plan provision collectively, share financial risks and present a single voice to their ICB. Through the development of the Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care MSF, the department and NHS England are considering how best to support these models and spread good practice. As part of this work, officials are identifying examples where ICBs and hospices are collaboratively moving towards more strategic commissioning arrangements and will use the MSF to share these approaches nationally. However, it is not the place of the department or NHS England, to set out the working practices, or operating models, of independent organisations, such as hospices.
Source
Committee
Public Accounts Committee
Report
73rd Report - Financial sustainability of adult hospices in England
18 Mar 2026
HC 1236
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age
0.4 yrs
Report published
18 Mar 2026