09.03.12
Dying at home could save NHS millions – charity
Marie Curie Cancer Care has suggested that letting more people die at home rather than hospital – which is often what they ask for anyway – could save the NHS millions a year.
The charity said that cutting the length of hospital stay for 30,000 patients who are in the last stages of life by just four days could save £34m.
It says that although 63% of people want to die at home, only 21% actually do. Around 53% of all deaths happen in hospital.
Imelda Redmond, director of policy and public affairs at the charity, said: “The NHS has to save £20bn by 2015. Savings on the scale required can only be achieved through service redesign that can be rapidly implemented across the NHS.
“Ensuring that more people who are terminally ill are able to be cared for and die at home can release funds.
“Even small reductions in the number of days people at the end of life spend in hospital can lead to substantial savings.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “We are committed to giving people more choice and control over the care they receive at the end of life and, in particular, to support people to be cared for and die at home.
“We are pushing forward with implementation of the End of Life Care Strategy, which will help deliver the services that will make individual choice at the end of life a reality.”
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