By KLTV Newsdesk –

Event highlights funding pressures and growing demand for palliative care services in West Yorkshire

Huddersfield MP Harpreet Uppal has hosted representatives from The Kirkwood and Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice in Parliament, alongside fellow West Yorkshire MPs, to spotlight the vital role hospices play in supporting local families.

The event aimed to raise awareness of the challenges facing hospice services and to explore how the Government can provide further support to sustain their work.

Sector leaders gather to discuss mounting pressures

The meeting followed a wider Westminster event organised by Hospice UK, which brought together hospice leaders, MPs, supporters and sector colleagues to discuss the increasing pressures on end-of-life and children’s palliative care services.

Harpreet Uppal MP said: “It was a pleasure to meet again with both The Kirkwood and Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice in Parliament today.

“These two organisations carry out vital, compassionate and highly skilled work, supporting people at their most difficult moments, and providing families with dignity, care, and reassurance.

“The funding announcements last year, which included a 3-year funding commitment to children’s hospices and a £100 million investment for hospices, will make a difference to their ability to continue delivering exceptional care.

“However, I know there is more to do, and I will continue to do all in my power to advocate for more sustainable funding and support for our local hospice services.”

Hospice leaders call for sustained government backing

Michael Crowther, CEO of Kirkwood Hospice, said: “We were delighted to join Harpreet and others in Parliament today and to have the opportunity to showcase the life-changing work our teams deliver every day.

“The hospice sector is under immense pressure right now, and this is a chance to advocate for hospices and seek support to ensure palliative and end-of-life care remains a key priority for the government – now and in the future.”

“We’d like to thank Harpreet and our local MPs for their support. They continue to be a strong, consistent voice in Westminster, advocating for The Kirkwood and the community we serve. Their leadership, alongside our community’s persistence, has been instrumental in ensuring that the needs of local patients remain high on the political agenda.”

Rising demand for children’s hospice care

Gareth Pierce, CEO of Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, said:

“Today’s event was an important opportunity to highlight the unique challenges children’s hospices face, particularly as demand for complex paediatric palliative care continues to rise.

Sustainable funding is crucial so that we can continue offering the specialist care that children and families across Huddersfield and West Yorkshire desperately need.”