National survey shows public concerned about rising demand for hospice care

Oct. 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Results from a new national survey have confirmed what local Somerset hospice, St Margaret’s has been saying for the last 3 years; that service delivery must change to accommodate the rising number of people who will need hospice care in the coming years.

The new survey, carried out by leading pollster Populus, showed that seven in ten people think demand for hospice care will ‘rocket’ in coming decades because of the UK’s rapidly ageing population and many are worried about its future availability.

Almost half of those surveyed (48 per cent) say they are concerned there won’t be enough hospice care available in the future to support them or their loved ones if they need this. This rises to almost two thirds of people (63 per cent) among those aged 65 and over. A further 16 per cent of people are ‘frightened’ there won’t be enough specialist care available in the future to support them or their loved ones.

More than three quarters of people (76 per cent) think that in future hospices will have to work more in partnership with other healthcare providers to deliver care for the UK’s ageing population.

Few people are aware that hospice care is provided in a range of settings beyond hospices buildings themselves. Less than a quarter of those surveyed (22 per cent) know it is available in people’s homes, where in fact, the majority of hospice care is provided.

“This survey reaffirms what we have believed for a long time at St Margaret’s, that the growing demand will need to be accommodated by a new way of delivering our services – and we are already moving towards this,” said Jon Andrewes, St Margaret’s Chief Executive.

“Over the last few years we have been looking at this challenge and have already begun to train our staff to be able to deliver the level of care in the community that we already give in the inpatient units of our two hospices. We are building the community service to cover 24 hours-a-day care, 365 days of the year and we are working with our partners in other charities and the NHS to ensure that this care will be delivered seamlessly; it is essential, but it will not come cheaply. In the next 20 years Somerset’s need is predicted to rise from 5,000 people per annum with palliative care needs to 15,000.”

The survey’s findings are published as a new report by the Commission into the Future of Hospice Care highlights the challenges facing hospices over the next 10-15 years.

According to the Commission, the UK’s ageing population will place increasing demands on hospices because of the rising number of people with complex health and social care needs. The number of people aged 85 and over alone is expected to double in the next 20 years. In addition, the number of young people with life-limiting conditions who receive hospice care is also increasing.

The Commission is calling on hospices to adapt and diversify so they are equipped to face the opportunities and challenges they face in the future. It proposes a range of actions hospices need to take over the next two to three years to prepare for these.

Its main recommendations include:

·         Hospices will need to develop new models of care and adapt existing services to meet increasing and changing demands for their services

·         In future hospices will need to work more closely with other organisations including the NHS, local authorities, care homes and voluntary sector organisations. Collaboration between hospices will also be important to maximise resources and increase efficiency

·         Hospices need to become “champions of change” for care in their local communities and not just service providers. They should seek to actively influence health and social care service delivery in their local communities and share their expertise in providing person-centred care more widely with other organisations, including hospitals

·         Hospices will need to reshape and rejuvenate their workforces to help future challenges, including building new skills and expanding the role of volunteers

·         There is public demand for hospices to support more people with different conditions beyond cancer, including the “frail elderly” and people with dementia, by working in partnership with other organisations

Of these recommendations, Ann Lee, Clinical Director of St Margaret’s said:

"We welcome the report of the Commission into the Future of Hospice Care and will confidently embrace and champion the recommendations made to ensure we meet local needs of our population and strengthen our ability to reach the most vulnerable responding robustly to inequalities."

"We will work as good partners, integrating our services, campaigning and educating to make a difference on a larger scale."

The Commission’s report comes as the National End of Life Care Strategy for England - launched in 2008 - is due to be updated and amidst growing calls nationally for more integrated health and social care.

ENDS