Clinicians Claim Inequities In Care For Terminally Ill

Front-line clinicians claim lack of coordination between teams delivering care and insufficient funding for services are barriers to meeting the needs of people with a terminal illness, according to a new survey commissioned by charity Marie Curie.

500 clinical professionals across the UK also revealed that a shortage of specialist palliative care services and difficulty of accessing social care are also barriers to meeting the needs of people with a terminal illness.

The new Ipsos MORI online survey, which explores perceptions among a sample of 500 clinical professionals of the standards and quality of care that they encounter for those with terminal illnesses, also shows contrasting opinions about the level of care provided in different care settings.

Dr Jane Collins, Chief Executive of Marie Curie, said: "These findings do not paint a great picture for people living with a terminal illness in the UK today. It is undeniable that many people do not get the care and support they need and everyone from medical professionals, researchers, policy-makers and those affected by terminal illness understand this. If the current system of care is failing to deliver now, how will it cope with the demand to come?

"Our new report 'Changing the Conversation' calls for a national conversation about what sort of care and support people with a terminal illness, and their families, should get now and in the future to ensure they are able to live well for as long as possible in the place of their choice – usually their own homes. This report examines the challenges and what needs to happen to ensure that the inequities in the system are removed."

(CD/MH)