Call for round-the-clock local nursing for dying people

The government must ensure dying people have access to 24/7 community nursing, according to the End of Life Care Coalition.

The coalition – seven national charities including Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie – highlighted failures in care for dying people in a report published last week.

These include dying patients being forced to spend long periods of time in hospital due to a lack of social care or alternative support.

The report, On the Brink, includes accounts of care failings but also found that three-quarters of bereaved people rate the overall quality of end of life care for their relative as good or better.

The coalition is urging the government to respond to the independent Choice review, published last year, which looked at the provision of end of life care.

The review recommended that 24/7 end of life care outside of hospital should be implemented by 2019.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Macmillan Cancer Support chief executive Lynda Thomas said: ‘Without immediate action, people will continue to die in distress.’

An NHS England spokesperson said: ‘Any instances of poor care should be taken seriously and we want to continue improving people’s experience of care.

‘This is why we are working with other agencies and charities to support local commissioners to meet the needs of their local populations.’

A Department of Health spokesperson said it will respond to the Choice review shortly.

Read the coalition’s report here