Sue Ryder responds to new report on end-of-life care costs in hospitals
James Sanderson, Chief Executive at Sue Ryder, responds to the news that more than 80% of healthcare costs in the final year of life are spent on hospitals, according to a new report from Nuffield Trust, Health Economics Unit and Marie Curie.
“This data shows a staggering imbalance between spending on end-of-life care in the community and hospitals. Around 80% of the care we provide is in the community, so we know that most people prefer to be at home at the end of their lives. Additionally, care in this setting is a more efficient way to support the increasing number of people who need end-of-life care."
“However, we must also look at better ways to care for people at the end of life within hospitals. This would ensure the right care for all patients is available in all settings, reducing the current inequity of who is able to access end-of-life care."
"We are calling on the Government to work with our sector to embed Sue Ryder ‘Alongside’ hospices on hospital grounds. This innovation would provide dying people admitted to hospital with the expert, compassionate care that families value so much from hospices. It would be a more cost-effective use of available funds and it would instantly free up beds in our stretched and crowded hospitals.”
Learn more about Sue Ryder's proposal for how the NHS 10-Year Plan can deliver for terminally ill people.
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