Concern that a necessary service such as palliative care has to be half-funded by the community has been expressed by Public Service Association health organiser Julie Morton.
The association is one of the two unions with staff at the Otago Community Hospice being consulted about possible service cuts because of an expected $300,000 deficit this financial year.
Ms Morton said the money was not a huge amount. Cuts could mean that some of the people who could have been treated at the hospice might take up more expensive beds at Dunedin Hospital receiving less specialised care.
"It doesn't make a lot of sense."
The 12-bed hospice, despite a record fund-raising year in 2007, ran at a deficit of $130,000 last year.
The hospice would like to see government funding, through the Otago District Health Board, set at 70%, but the cash-strapped board has only offered 53% for this year.
Hospice chief executive officer Ginny Green said yesterday the organisation had received many supportive calls over its plight, but no large cheques.
"The community already contributes in excess of $1 million to the running costs of the hospice and, given the economic climate, we cannot ask more of them."
This year's fundraising is expected to bring in more than $1.1 million of the hospice's annual budget of about $3 million, made up of $200,000 from the shop, $213,000 from grant applications and a further $710,000 from donations and events.
Ms Green said as well as supporting its fund-raising, those concerned about the hospice could lobby MPs and district health board members on the issue.
Board chairman Richard Thomson said last week the increase the board had been able to offer the hospice was in line with what it could offer other services in the community.
Mr Thomson acknowledged reductions in hospice services could impact on other health services and said he hoped the board and the hospice would be able to discuss such implications.
This week, consultation over options for service reductions continues with the PSA and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, with a decision expected on Friday.
