Voluntary hospices provide a vital service in Wales

St David's Hospice in Llandudno missed out when 13 other centres were granted funding for three years earlier this week.

Its chief executive, Joe Ashton, has warned the 20-bed centre could shut if money was not found.

He has organised an emergency meeting with assembly officials on Monday.

On Friday, Welsh health minister Jane Hutt announced �800,000 worth of funds to be distributed among the 13 hospices which met the criteria.

It is the second round of funding from a sum of �10m pledged by the Welsh assembly government in January.

Voluntary hospices provide over 70% of the palliative care for patients in Wales David Jones

However, St David's missed out this time, although it did receive �250,000 earlier this year to support it for 12 months.

Making the announcement, Ms Hutt said: "We are all aware of the important role a hospice plays in the delivery of palliative care across Wales.

"They provide vital support for patients, families and carers."

But former Conservative AM for north Wales, David Jones, from Llandudno, criticised Ms Hutt's "mealy-mouthed" attitude to hospice funding.

While in the assembly, Mr Jones had called on the assembly to provide 50% revenue support for Welsh hospices - the average for hospices in the UK is thought to be 30%.

Mr Jones said: "Despite all the additional monies, hospices still have to go through a complicated bidding procedure, which has left St David's, Nightingale House [in Wrexham] and other hospices with insufficient funds to carry on their vital work.

'Bargain'

"Voluntary hospices provide over 70% of the palliative care for patients in Wales.

"They are a vital part of the health care system but receive completely inadequate support from Jane Hutt and the assembly.

He repeated his call for 50% assembly funding, adding: "Even at that level of support, the NHS would be getting a bargain.

"Jean Hutt has been mealy-mouthed over hospice funding for far too long.