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Responding to the latest Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures on the quality of end of life care in England [1], Duleep Allirajah, Head of Policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, says:
“It is shocking that the quality of end of life care in England varies so much across the country. Often this will be because people are unable to choose where they die, which for the majority of cancer patients is at home surrounded by their loved ones [2]. But without the right support in place, many are dying in expensive hospital beds against their wishes [3]. “People in the last months and weeks of life still face a postcode lottery as to whether they can access crucial services, such as 24/7 community nursing, to allow them to die at home. The Government must take action to make community nursing available day and night to everyone at the end of life regardless of where they live.”
“It is shocking that the quality of end of life care in England varies so much across the country. Often this will be because people are unable to choose where they die, which for the majority of cancer patients is at home surrounded by their loved ones [2]. But without the right support in place, many are dying in expensive hospital beds against their wishes [3].
“People in the last months and weeks of life still face a postcode lottery as to whether they can access crucial services, such as 24/7 community nursing, to allow them to die at home. The Government must take action to make community nursing available day and night to everyone at the end of life regardless of where they live.”
Claire Keuls, Media & PR Officer, 020 7840 4872 (out of hours 07801 307 068) ckeuls@macmillan.org.uk|
1 ONS (2011) National Bereavement Survey (VOICES) by PCT Cluster
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health1/national-bereavement-survey--voices--by-pct-clusters/2011/stb-national-bereavement-survey--voices--by-pct-cluster--2011.html#tab-Key-findings|
2 Statistic taken from Macmillan February 2010 online survey of 1,019 UK adults living with cancer. Seventy-three percent of people with cancer said they would prefer to die at home if all their concerns about dying at home (such as access to pain relief, round the clock care, and support for their family and carers) were addressed.
3 Office for National Statistics. Mortality statistics: deaths registered in 2010 in England and Wales.
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/mortality-statistics--deaths-registered-in-england-and-wales--series-dr-/2010/dr-/2010/index.html|
(Accessed November 2011)
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