Reforming end-of-life care - how do we support people to die well?

Sue Ryder's Chief Executive, James Sanderson, shares thoughts on how dying people can be better supported, whether the bill passes or not.

At Sue Ryder, we’ve stood beside people at the end of life for over 70 years. What we’ve learned is simple, yet powerful - everyone deserves the right care, at the right time, in the right place. Yet today, too many people are still denied that basic dignity.

We remain neutral on the issue of assisted dying. But we are unwavering in our belief that access to high-quality, personalised palliative care is not a privilege, it’s a necessity.

Right now, one in four people in the UK are reaching the end of life without the care they need. That’s a reality we cannot accept.

Whether or not this Bill becomes law, one thing must be clear: reform of end-of-life care cannot wait.

Each year, over half a million people die in England and Wales, and that number continues to rise. But your experience of dying can depend largely on where you live.

People in communities already facing disadvantage, particularly those living in poverty or from ethnically diverse backgrounds, are far less likely to receive the right support. And the cost of this inequity is devastating.

Many spend their final days in pain, with one in three people severely or overwhelmingly affected by it in their last week of life. Others end up in hospital beds, far from the comfort and familiarity of home, simply because there is nowhere else for them to go.

The upcoming NHS 10-Year Health Plan offers a crucial opportunity to place palliative care at the heart of its reforms. Regardless of the outcome of the current assisted dying debate, this is something all sides must surely agree on.

The Government must see the hospice and palliative care sector as an essential partner to its Neighbourhood Health Centres and community care. But we in the sector also have a responsibility to change. Too many of our models need updating, and too many people are still being left behind.

We must rethink how and where we provide care. Around 9.5 million NHS bed days each year are taken up by people in their final year of life. Many of those patients could and should be receiving personalised support in more appropriate settings.

At Sue Ryder, we are already working to meet people where they are. Around 80% of our services take place in the community, in people’s homes, where they can remain surrounded by loved ones and in familiar surroundings.

We are also developing our Sue Ryder Alongside Suites, which integrates specialist palliative care directly into hospital settings. With 43% of people still dying in hospital, this model brings tailored care to where it is urgently needed.

We envision a future where end-of-life care forms part of a connected ecosystem, where patients can move seamlessly between home, hospice, and hospital, supported at every stage. A future where nobody has to die in unmanaged pain, alone, or without dignity.

The debate on assisted dying will continue, and opinions will differ. But there is a clear consensus: provision at the end of life is not good enough, and this must change.

This autumn, the Care Minister is expected to announce a national plan for end-of-life care. Without a strong and urgent plan, thousands of people will continue to face their final days without the support they need.

At Sue Ryder, we are ready to work together with the Government. But we can’t do this alone.

We need your voice. Your support. Your determination to make sure end-of-life care reform stays firmly on the agenda - long after the headlines around assisted dying fade.

Because no one should face death alone.