Hospices serving Renfrewshire have welcomed a £9.4 million funding commitment from the Scottish Government but say long-term financial pressures remain.
The funding was announced by the First Minister as part of the 2026–27 national budget. It is aimed at helping hospice staff move closer to pay parity with NHS colleagues. Pay parity means being paid at the same level as NHS staff doing similar roles.
ACCORD Hospice in Paisley and St Vincent’s Hospice in Howwood both provide specialist palliative and end of life care to people across Renfrewshire.
ACCORD supports more than 1,800 patients and their families each year across Renfrewshire and parts of East Renfrewshire.
Jacki Smart, CEO of ACCORD, said: “For ACCORD Hospice, this national investment represents a vital uplift that will support our staff, strengthen workforce sustainability, and help ensure people across Renfrewshire and parts of East Renfrewshire continue to receive the compassionate, specialist care they rely on.
“But there is more to do. ACCORD costs £9,000 a day to run, so securing sustainable funding remains essential. We will continue pressing for the Government’s promised long term funding framework – because the future of hospice care across Scotland depends on it.”
St Vincent’s Hospice, which serves communities across Renfrewshire and adjoining North Ayrshire, also welcomed the announcement.
Gillian Green, Chief Executive of St Vincent’s Hospice, said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s £9.4 million commitment to Scotland’s hospices. For St Vincent’s Hospice and the communities we serve across Renfrewshire and adjoining North Ayrshire, this investment is an important step – particularly in supporting progress toward greater parity in pay for our skilled and compassionate staff.
“However, while this funding is helpful, it does not fully address the financial pressures facing hospices. It costs £8,500 a day to run St Vincent’s Hospice, and we remain heavily reliant on the generosity of our local community to fund core services.
“We will continue working constructively with government and our health and social care partners to secure a fair and sustainable long-term funding model, so that families can continue to access high-quality hospice care when they need it most.”
The Scottish Government says the £9.4 million investment is intended to support recruitment and retention of hospice staff and help ensure people across Scotland continue to receive high quality end of life care.