Bringing care closer to home: improving palliative care in remote, rural and island communities
Hospice UK, fellow members of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance, has published a new UK-wide report “Bringing care closer to home: improving palliative care in remote, rural and island communities”.
Based on extensive engagement with patients, carers and professionals, the report finds:
- About two thirds of people heard from living rurally said that they or the person they cared for with a life-limiting condition did not receive the care and support they needed. A lack of support at home, especially overnight, and delays accessing medication are particular challenges.
- Two thirds of rural health and care staff surveyed said there are not enough staff with the right skills to support people with life-limiting conditions. In particular, there is a lack of social care staff.
- People are being forced to choose between where they live and the care they receive. They need more support to stay at home and in their local community.
- Families of children with life-limiting conditions living rurally face significant additional barriers to accessing care and support.
- In rural areas, stretched staff and limited resources require a creative, community-driven approach. People need the flexibility to arrange care around what they need, drawing on existing community strengths and support.
The report shines a light on people’s experiences of death, dying and bereavement in rural communities, shares learning and innovative approaches to delivering care for both adults and children, and makes recommendations for services, local systems and policy makers to improve care and support in rural communities across the UK.
