Hospices make a profound contribution to society by delivering patient-centred care that promotes dignity and comfort at the end of life. They also provide vital support for families and carers through respite services, bereavement counselling, and other programmes that ease both emotional and financial burdens. Their specialist palliative care relieves pressure on the NHS, reducing hospital admissions and freeing up essential resources. Many hospices further enrich community wellbeing by organising volunteer opportunities, educational initiatives, and local events.
Despite these important benefits, hospices still face significant funding challenges. Demonstrating their measurable impact through social value reporting helps attract investment, secure funding, and influence policy at both local and national levels.
A sector-wide vision
Working with hospice leaders across the UK, we aim to create a future where hospices collectively showcase the full extent of their social impact. By producing robust, evidence-based reports, hospices can strengthen their case for funding, influence policy decisions, and highlight the economic and community value they provide.
One recent example is St Barnabas Hospice in Lincolnshire, which received a social value impact assessment report. Its Deputy CEO, Michelle Webb, praised the insights gained and emphasised the opportunities for further advocacy and funding. Encouraged by these results, she hopes to connect with other hospice managers who are interested in using social value assessments to bolster their own funding and strategic efforts.
The importance of social value assessment in health and social care is increasingly recognised in the medical community. As a recent Lancet article explains:
“The social return on investment (SROI) methodology represents a pragmatic form of evaluation of social impact that expands the measurement of value to include social dimensions. We argue that this approach, combined with standard approaches, can provide a holistic understanding of the effect of palliative care and inform the creation of value-based care models for the delivery of palliative care on a wide scale.”
(Source: The Lancet)
How the Social Value Engine helps
The Social Value Engine is an easy-to-use, evidence-based platform that calculates and showcases the social value of hospice services. It enables organisations to identify and measure key impact areas, create reports tailored for funders and policymakers, and calculate the social return on investment of initiatives.
We invite hospices across the country to see how this approach can benefit their organisation. If a social value impact report would be useful, explore what the Social Value Engine can do for you. By joining forces, we can ensure the vital contributions of hospices are recognised, adequately funded, and sustainable for the long term.
For more information, or to discuss how the Social Value Engine can support your hospice, get in touch today.
