Julia Lopez MP - returns to Saint Francis Hospice

Saint Francis Hospice needs sustainable funding so everyone in the local community can access the best end of life care, was the message from MP Julia Lopez following her visit to the charity.

Grazina Berry, CEO at Saint Francis Hospice, met with Julia, MP for Hornchurch and Upminster, on Friday 10th January to speak about the financial challenges the hospice is facing.

This was Mrs Lopez’s second visit to the hospice in less than a year. Grazina invited Mrs Lopez to the hospice in May last year to discuss the need for a secure funding model to meet the growing demand for its compassionate palliative and end of life care services in Havering, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Brentwood and West Essex.

“We were delighted to welcome our local Conservative MP, Julia Lopez, back to our hospice, to catch up about topical issues we’ve been dealing with, in anticipation of the additional funds being made available to help boost our care environment,” said Grazina.  

“Julia is a vocal and supportive MP, championing the work of Saint Francis Hospice for many years in her local constituency of Hornchurch and Upminster and in Parliament, and actively supporting our plea for more sustainable funding.”

In December the government announced additional funding for adult and children’s hospices, and we are awaiting further detail as to how much extra support Saint Francis Hospice will receive, and how the funds will be distributed.

Speaking after her meeting with Grazina, the MP said, “We need to make sure that hospices are financially sustainable entities. This is one of the things that I raised with the government, particularly in relation to the budget and some of the national insurance pressures that are coming through.” 
 

Mrs Lopez has been supporting Saint Francis Hospice for many years and has called for an improved funding model for hospices in parliament.  

She continues to raise awareness of the hospice’s wide range of specialist services in her constituency, promote fundraising activities and the hospice’s shops across its catchment area.