Marie Curie's response to The House of Commons Digital Culture, Media & Sport Committee inquiry

The House of Commons Digital Culture, Media & Sport Committee heard today from charities about the pressures caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, the measures needed to support the sector through the crisis and the potential long-term impact on charities.

 

In response to the Committee’s inquiry, Marie Curie Chief Executive Matthew Reed said:

 

Marie Curie welcomes the Committee’s inquiry. Marie Curie is delivering frontline services through the Covid-19 crisis, currently supporting Covid-19 patients, and stepping forward to support the NHS even more fully in this national emergency.  By doing so we are helping to support people who would otherwise be in hospital at a time when every bit of available capacity is needed to care for people diagnosed with Covid-19. 

Just at the time our hospices and community nursing services are needed more than ever as part of the national Covid-19 response, our income has been decimated. Marie Curie needs to raise £2.5 million every week to continue to run our essential frontline services and the Coronavirus crisis has seriously impacted on our ability to fundraise; All fundraising activity which involves direct contact with people has been cancelled, massively reducing the amount of money we have been able to raise in our flagship Great Daffodil Appeal and other events.

We urgently need funding to make certain that we can continue to provide services and keep our doctors, nurse and hospice staff on the frontline. 

The Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Committee has called on the Government to take action to safeguard the charity sector and ensure frontline charities like Marie Curie are able to continue our vital end of life care work through this crisis. 

We urge the Government to take these steps without further delay so that Marie Curie and other charities can continue to play our part, support the NHS, and serve the public and nation in the weeks and months ahead.