1 in 3 adults in Wales do not have the palliative care they need, says new report
New figures published by Marie Curie suggest that there are more than 10,000 adults across Wales whose symptoms aren’t addressed and who do not have enough support from their GP
Palliative care in Wales is broken, says a leading end of life charity, as almost one in three adults in Wales have unmet palliative care needs, meaning they are left without enough support at the end of life.
New figures published by Marie Curie suggest that there are more than 10,000 adults across Wales whose symptoms aren’t addressed and who do not have enough support from their GP.
Currently, 1 in 14 of every emergency department attendance in Wales is in relation to someone who is in their last year of life
Statistics also reveal almost a fifth of hospital beds in Wales are occupied by people in their last 12 months of life.
Marie Curie says these figures are 'further evidence that our palliative and end of life care system is at breaking point. '
Marie Curie estimates that by the 2040's, 37,000 people in Wales will likely need palliative and end of life care each year, an increase of 5,000.
Based on the charity's latest analysis, it is estimated that without additional intervention around 1500 more people are likely to face unmet palliative care need in 2050, compared to 2025. An increase of 14%.
Marie Curie is now calling for urgent action 'to transform end of life care to ensure that people living with a terminal illness, both now and in the future, have access to the care and support they need'.
Peter Midlane’s mum Joyce, spent six months in various different hospitals across Carmarthenshire before she was able to go home to be cared for before her death at the age of 97.
Pete, who now lives in Bridgend,said: “When social services eventually put a care package together, it was horrendous.
“I was expecting a middle-aged nurse, but instead it was 18 to 20-year-old students with no driving licence, relying on public transport to get to us, living in the middle of nowhere. So, they were always hours late.
It was at that point Pete took a leave of absence from his job, prior to receiving support from Marie Curie.
“The tiredness just took over,” he said. “That and the isolation. It put strain on my marriage. I lost quite a lot of weight. I was stressed and cranky. I barely left the house for weeks! My mum would get quite distressed if I left her alone even for a short spell, just to run to the shops.
“When we first had contact from Marie Curie, it’s difficult to describe the relief. It’s mixed emotions as you know it means end of life care and that the end is coming.
“But the relief that there's somebody there that you can talk to is wonderful. They looked after my mum and me. When you find out what these nurses are capable of…it is absolutely vital. Marie Curie nurses are very special people.
Marie Curie Cymru has set out a programme of policy change in its manifesto ahead of the Senedd election:
The charity says it provides a roadmap for the incoming Welsh Government in May to ensure that services are 'responsive to people’s needs', that palliative care is 'sustainably funded' and to strengthen out of hours and community care so people have '24/7 access to care and support at or close to home'.
Marie Curie Cymru Senior Policy Manager, Natasha Davies, said:
“It’s simply unacceptable that so many people are being left without the care and support they need at the end of life. Too many people are spending their days isolated, in pain and struggling to make ends meet. Carers are being left abandoned without support, and services and staff are struggling to deliver the care people need, where and then they need it. Change is urgently needed.
“Transforming end of life care means making sure that everyone can access the care they need in the right place, at the right time. It means taking a system wide approach that fully integrates palliative and end of life care into health and social care, and ensuring people have access to advice, support and care 24/7.
“Placing palliative care nurses in each primary care cluster, integrating palliative care paramedics into specialist palliative care teams and providing a 24/7 single point of access for advice and information via 111, staffed by clinically trained palliative care staff, would significantly improve access to services and care coordination.
“We cannot afford to waste time getting this right. The next Welsh Government must show strong leadership and commit to the bold, radical actions that are needed to truly transform end of life care."
"Good palliative and end of life care can make a huge difference"
The Welsh Government says: “Good palliative and end of life care can make a huge difference to those with life-limiting illness, helping them to die with dignity, and help the grieving process for those left behind.
“We provide more than £16m a year to make sure everyone has access to the best possible end of life care. This includes offering a suite of advance and future care planning resources for the public and for health and social care professionals.
“Work on a new hospice commissioning approach is ongoing to ensure fair access, long-term sustainability, and high-quality care across Wales.”