The project aims to give terminally-ill patients better
choice in end of life care
The project aims to give terminally-ill patients better choice in end of life care.
Marie Curie Cancer Care research has found that 65 per cent of people in the UK would like to die at home if they had a terminal illness, but in Somerset only 18 per cent of terminally-ill people are able to do so.
The project will cover 700,000 people and last for three years.
Marie Curie Cancer Care Chief Executive Thomas Hughes-Hallett said: “The Somerset Delivering Choice Project will be our biggest project in the south west of England, and quite challenging in terms of the ageing population in the area.
“We aim to help deliver better palliative care to more patients and their carers than ever before.”
Chair of Somerset Primary Care Trust Jane Barrie OBE said: “The Somerset/North Somerset Partnership is delighted to have been selected for this programme.
“We will be working collaboratively with local organisations, with patients and carers, with Marie Curie and the other Delivering Choice sites to ensure that we use this opportunity to develop the very best palliative care services.”
There are already five other projects underway around the UK – in Lincolnshire, Tayside (Scotland), Leeds, Barnet (North London) and South East London.
June 2008
