Sue Ryder comments on Royal College of Physicians' call for national strategy on end-of-life care

Sue Ryder's Chief Executive, James Sanderson, said:

"We support this call from the RCP. Too many people are referred to end-of-life care in the final days of their lives. The sad thing here is that while end-of-life care makes a hugely positive difference to people who are actively dying, palliative care providers, like Sue Ryder, could be helping people to live as well as possible, for as long as possible.

"Around 8% of the people referred to our hospices die before they can be admitted, suggesting that referrals are made too late. Healthcare professionals should be thinking about how palliative care can benefit their patients from the moment they receive a terminal diagnosis, not just the last few days of life."

"It's right to say we do need a plan from government for palliative and end-of-life care, but the sector also needs to recognise it must also do more to meet the needs of how terminally ill people are living and dying. We need to be adapting to make sure the right care, in the right place, at the right time, is available to everyone who needs it."

"We have proposed a new ecosystem for palliative care that would deliver this, providing more care for people in their own homes and a new model of care - ‘Alongside suites’ - to reach more people within hospitals. These would both support our overstretched NHS and reduce inequity in the system by reaching people and communities who are currently underserved."