Funding shortfalls are putting hospices at serious risk of disappearing

Hospice New Zealand data reveals they raised more than $110-million to stay afloat last year.

It spent $226-million providing care for around 9000 people living with a terminal illness and handled nearly a third of all deaths in the country.

Chief Executive Wayne Naylor says with demand for hospice care predicted to increase by 50-percent by 2040, they won't be able to fulfill those needs if government support doesn't improve.

He says funding levels aren't keeping pace, so the only response is to start cutting services.