Following an allocation of money to The Mountbatten Group of hospices, including Mountbatten Hampshire, from the government's Department of Health and Social Care, here is a statement from Mountbatten CEO, Becky McGregor:

“The Mountbatten Group of hospices, incorporating Mountbatten Isle of Wight and Mountbatten Hampshire, is delighted to have been awarded an additional £369,911 through the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Phase 2 Capital Grant, bringing its total allocation to £1,365,778 in 2025/26.

“Shared between Mountbatten’s two hospices, which serve Southampton, large parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, this vital cash injection will allow us to complete the essential refurbishment of areas used by the people we care for and their families. This is part of an ongoing and planned programme of improvement work. We will also use the money to buy vital equipment.

“It is important to note this money can only be spent on capital projects.

“It cannot be used to pay for our expert clinical teams or to support the 24/7 care they give to the growing number of people dealing with death, dying and bereavement."

• Read more about The Mountbatten Group's previous allocation from the Capital Grant HERE

Becky added: “Across Mountbatten Hampshire and Mountbatten Isle of Wight, our teams care for around 4,500 people in any one day, and demand for our services and expertise has continued to grow by over 70% in the last three years.

“While we are incredibly grateful for this capital grant, The Mountbatten Group still faces significant challenges when it comes to covering day-to-day running costs.

“What hospices like ours need is consistent and predictable NHS funding, to allow us to budget sustainably for the future and to help us ensure our compassionate staff and trained volunteers can continue to be there for all those who need us.

“This must complement the generous financial support we get from our communities, which currently accounts for income in the region of two thirds of our running costs, through gifts in Wills, fundraising and events, grants and donations, and the spend through our network of charity shops.”