A single charity has claimed its contributions to children’s palliative care is saving the health and social care system £2 million a year, according to a new report.
The Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity offers specialist emotional and practical support to families with seriously ill children. In a report they release on 23 March, they estimated how much the public sector would have to spend to deliver the support themselves.
Despite the calculated savings, the Rainbow Trust receives only 3% of its funding from the state, leading the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to support the charity’s call to ensure children’s palliative care is eligible for ring-fenced funding so the services are not neglected.
RCN professional lead for children and young people’s nursing Fiona Smith said: ‘When a child is seriously ill it is about so much more than physical health care – the whole family needs emotional help and support. Nursing staff do all they can to care for children and their parents during these difficult times, but in the current health care climate there’s only so much they can do.
‘The kind of support Rainbow Trust provides is invaluable to families and saves millions of pounds. However, the government needs to recognise the importance of social care for children and families and ensure that it is accessible for all those who need it.’
Services the Rainbow Trust and RCN are calling the government to support include bereavement and emotional help and support for siblings of patients.