Urgent calls from Marie Curie to improve end-of-life care
Marie Curie has called for urgent action to improve end-of-life care, while a nurse from the West Midlands' hospice warns support is not always there.
Last updated 26th Oct 2026
Marie Curie is calling for urgent action to improve end-of-life care, warning too many people across the UK are dying without the care and support they need.
The charity is using Hospice Care Week to highlight gaps in current services and the pressure facing patients, families and frontline staff.
Their campaign comes after they found almost one in three people across the UK do not get the support they need at the end of life, due to a 'patchy' palliative care provision causing many people to resort to 999 or A&E when there is nowhere else to turn.
Laura Greensall, Clinical Lead for Marie Curie’s Hospice Services in the Midlands, said her nursing team, at the West Midland branch in Solihull, are seeing the impact of gaps in care.
"There's only so much that we can do with what we currently have," she said.
"People are relying on services that aren't appropriate. We're seeing people in hospital, we're seeing people in ambulances, in corridors, and actually it's not where people want to or should be. But they're doing that because the 24-7 care available out there in the community just isn't always there."
The Government has promised to improve palliative and end-of-life care in England through a new Modern Service Framework, due to be published this autumn.
Marie Curie says the framework must be backed by funding if it is to lead to meaningful change.
Calls for better support
Marie Curie is calling for properly funded reform, including 24/7 support, better access to specialist medicines and faster urgent community care.
It also wants a two-hour urgent community response service to operate around the clock for people with palliative and end-of-life care needs.
The charity is calling on the Government to establish a three-year Transformation Fund, supported by at least £200 million a year.
It says the money would help local systems redesign services, improve care coordination, adopt proven models of care and address inequalities in access and outcomes.
Patients reaching crisis point
A survey by Marie Curie and Nursing Standard, the journal of the Royal College of Nursing, found more than 55% of 1,050 frontline nurses surveyed had delivered end-of-life care in hospital corridors.
Ms Greensall said this can add to the fear and anxiety their families feel, when they are already trying cope with losing their loved one.
"It's important that people are where they want to be - I think that's the be all and end all," she said.
"We want people to be surrounded by their loved ones, somewhere that they find is comfortable, somewhere where their symptoms can be managed appropriately.
"And at hospitals, they're very busy, they're very noisy. It's not always the right place for people."
She said extra funding would help staff provide care safely and effectively, while allowing patients to be seen earlier.
Famous names back the campaign
The campaign is being backed by figures including Sir Michael Palin, Russell T Davies, Chris Kamara, Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb, who have shared personal experiences of losing loved ones.
Sir Michael Palin, who starred in Monty Python, said the “calm and dignified end” his wife had in the care of Marie Curie is something everyone should be able to access.
When recalling her mother's passing, Gavin and Stacey actress, Alison Steadman, insisted “everyone deserves a good death.”
A Department of Health and Social Care Spokesperson said: “We recognise the financial pressures many hospices are currently facing and are working with the sector and NHS partners to create a more sustainable funding approach, so patients and families can continue to get the care they need.
“The Prime Minister and Health Secretary have made clear their commitment to improving palliative care, including through our new Modern Service Framework, which will help address some of the most significant challenges facing the sector, including regional variations in access and quality, gaps in provision, and workforce shortages.”
Marie Curie is encouraging people to support its campaign to fix end of life care. To join the calls for action, sign the charity’s petition at Marie Curie Campaigns.