The UK's crisis in palliative care for children makes the Give to GOSH appeal vital and timely

A recent report suggests current estimate of 49,000 children with life-shortening conditions could be an underestimation

Louis Dundas, whom GOSH's palliative care unit is named after. Louis died from a brain tumour in April 2008, aged four

As we wake up to a new year we also need to wake up to the potential of a crisis in palliative care for children.

A recent report, Children in Scotland requiring Palliative Care, based on a study by University of York, showed a 50% increase in the number of children and young people with life-shortening conditions in Scotland over a ten-year period.

This is a dramatic increase and, if this increase has also occurred across the UK, it suggests the current estimate of 49,000 children with life-shortening conditions could be a substantial underestimate.

The numbers are mainly increasing because of advances in medical science; a good news story. But it’s a story marred by the crisis in public funding, which means families continue to lose their daily battles for the care they require.

The future of the £11million Government grant to England’s children’s hospices is uncertain. Moreover existing budgetary rules mean that adult hospices get 30% of their funding from statutory sources and clinical groups but children’s hospices only on average 11%.

This sorry state of affairs means that charities depend hugely on fundraising and public donations, which is why this appeal and its support for GOSH’s Louis Dundas Centre for Children's Palliative Care, which does so much to further research into and understanding of children’s palliative care, is so vital and timely.

In his Budget on March 16th the Chancellor has the opportunity to address the care deficit for children with life-shortening conditions.

Let us hope that he finally attends to the needs of those for whom life will be short – and every moment a precious one.

Barbara Gelb is the Chief Executive of Together for Short Lives

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