Press Release

Historic day for end of life care says Help the Hospices

16 July 2008

Help the Hospices, the hospices movement’s national charity, welcomed the publication of the first ever End of Life Care Strategy as a historic event in the delivery of future social and healthcare for patients and their families in England. 
David Praill, chief executive of Help the Hospices, commented: “Death is a fact of life, yet as a society we often shy away from thinking about it until we have no choice. Making care at the end of life a greater health and social care priority is a significant and welcome step forward and we are encouraged to see additional funding with the strategy.  It is essential that this extra money is translated into better care for all. 
Hospices have a major part to play in both helping us to talk about death and in providing choice for patients.  That choice isn’t just between dying in hospital or at home but about ensuring people receive the support they need, when they need it so they can live well until they die – wherever that may be.  Most hospice care is provided in people’s own homes.
We look forward to working with the Department of Health, Primary Care Trusts and other providers to make sure that priority is given and resources allocated to improving care for all.”
Every day, hospices deliver patient choice in the way they are cared for and where they die and nearly all hospice care is provided by around 194 completely independent local charities across the UK.
Jonathan Ellis,director of public policy and parliamentary affairs at Help the Hospices, added: “More of us will be approaching the end of life with complex needs, and stronger partnerships between social services, health services and charitable hospices are vital if we are to stand any chance of meeting them. We look forward to the opportunity the strategy presents to embed the kind of person-centred care that hospices provide – something that patients tell us makes all the different to their experience.”

Notes for editors

Help the Hospices has produced a report which outlines its hopes for the Government’s forthcoming End of Life Care Strategy available at www.helpthehospices.org.uk

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