The RCP has responded toTime to Care, Marie Curie's report which reveals findings from a national representative survey of experiences of the end of life in England and Wales.
Responding to Time to care – a new Marie Curie Better End of Life research report, Dr Hilary Williams, consultant medical oncologist and RCP vice president for Wales, said:
‘This report highlights a critical gap in our healthcare system: the lack of comprehensive planning for end-of-life care. Despite advancements in treatments for chronic illnesses, we are failing to provide compassionate and coordinated care for those in the final months of life.
‘Too often, patients and families are caught in a chaotic cycle of ambulance calls and hospital admissions, where staff struggle with a lack of accessible information and inadequate resources. Corridor care is becoming the norm in too many hospitals. This is unacceptable.
‘It's vital that we listen to the voices in this report and recognise that end-of-life care is everyone's responsibility. We must bridge the gaps between community and acute care and improve communication between professionals and with families.
‘Collaboration between specialties and royal colleges will be essential: we need to improve how we support and train more people in the NHS workforce to recognise and care for terminally ill patients and support their families through the final months and weeks of life.’