End of Life Care Strategy backed by £286m boost

The government has pledged an additional £286m
for palliative care services to coincide with the
publication of its long-awaited End of Life Care
Strategy

The government has pledged an additional £286m for palliative care services to coincide with the publication of its long-awaited End of Life Care Strategy.

Most of the cash will go to Primary Care Trusts to improve end of life services in local communities to allow more people to be able to be able to make the choice to die at home.

The strategy and the cash injection have been welcomed by Dr Teresa Tate, Medical Advisor to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

She said: “We recognise that it is the actual implementation of the Strategy, not its publication, which will make the real difference. Marie Curie Cancer Care is, therefore, pleased to see the extra resources which the Government is making available to support the roll out of the Strategy.

“Through our Delivering Choice Programme we have shown that it is possible to double the number of people supported to spend their final days at home - at no extra cost to the government.

“We look forward to working with the NHS locally to help deliver end of life care to all those who need it, turning the Strategy into reality for patients and families.”

Hugh Grant, Marie Curie’s ambassador said: “Since 2004 Marie Curie Cancer Care has campaigned hard for the public to have the choice to die at home. I am delighted to see that the Government is now honouring its 2005 Manifesto pledge to double investment in end of life care.”

Marie Curie Cancer Care’s views on the strategy were put forward by Dr Tate when she appeared on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning.

Also on the programme was Health Secretary Alan Johnson, who touched on some of the core themes of the strategy. Click here to listen to the discussion on the BBC website.

The new 10 year strategy will focus on:

• Improved community services – asking PCTs, working with Local Authorities, to ensure that rapid response community nursing services are available in all areas 24/7. Thus enabling more people to be cared for and die at home if they wish
• Workforce training and development - to train health and social care professionals in assessing the needs of patients and carers and providing the best possible quality care
• Setting up a national End of Life Research initiative - to further understand how best to care for those at the end of their lives.

Lord Darzi’s Next Stage Review focused on End of Life Care as one of its key pathways, and this strategy follows on from the Review, helping to make that commitment a reality.

The Department of Health press release is available on their website.

The Marie Curie Cancer Care press release is available here.

Download a copy of the Ministerial Statement (Word, 26K)

July 2008