CONSULTANCY
Dying at home could ‘save NHS millions’ – charity
Marie Curie Cancer Care has suggested that letting more people die at home rather than hospital – which is often what they ask for anyway – could save the NHS millions a year.
The charity said that cutting the length of hospital stay for 30,000 patients who are in the last stages of life by just four days could save £34m.
It says that although 63% of peo- ple want to die at home, only 21% actually do. Around 53% of all deaths happen in hospital.
Imelda Redmond, director of policy and public affairs at the charity, said: “The NHS has to save £20bn by 2015. Savings on the scale required can only be achieved through service redesign that can be rapidly implemented across the NHS.
“Ensuring that more people who are terminally ill are able to be cared for and die at home can release funds.
“Even small reductions in the number of days people at the end of life spend in hospital can lead to substantial savings.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “We are committed to giving people more choice and control over the care they receive at the end of life and, in particular, to support people to be cared for and die at home.
“We are pushing forward with implementation of the End of Life Care Strategy, which will help deliver the services that will make individual choice at the end of life a reality.”
Neil Griffiths, assistant director of
joint commissioning at NHS
East Riding, where Marie Curie nurses visit and provide telephone support to patients needing symptom control in rural areas between 6pm and 11pm, seven days a week, said: “We have a good relationship with Marie Curie and enjoy working with them. Their flexibility allows us to work
constructively together to change the way services are delivered. Marie Curie’s reputation counts for a lot with patients and families. Caring for someone at home who may be in pain is an emotional strain for carers. Knowing that they will be supported by nurses who work specifically in palliative care makes a huge difference.”
The service also identifies people needing the Marie Curie night
service at short notice, preventing emergency out of hours’ acute admissions. In a six-month period the service provided care for 183 patients.
The charity’s report, ‘Understanding the cost of end life care in different settings’, is available
from
www.mariecurie.
o rg .uk/ e n- g b/ h e al thca re- professionals/commissioning- services/publications/
national health executive Mar/Apr 12 | 75
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