Help the Hospices, the leading charity supporting hospice care throughout the UK, is stressing the need for an equally good system to meet the needs of often vulnerable people who choose not to use a personal budget.
Jonathan Ellis, Help the Hospices director of policy, said:
"Dying is not just a health issue and it is vital that the specific social care needs of people facing the end of life, and their friends and family, are central to this new vision.
"With an ageing population, more of us will be living longer with more complex health and social care needs and so demand for social care services at the end of life are set to increase.
"While personal budgets have an important role to play in modernising the health and social care system, we need a range of flexible services to meet the fast changing needs of people affected by terminal illness.
"It is therefore vital that the government ensures that people who choose not to use personal budgets receive the same quality of care and still get to choose how and where they are cared for."
Following his announcement, Paul Burstow today gave a keynote speech at the Help the Hospices conference in London, where the minister set out his vision for the future of hospice care and stressed the vital role hospices play in delivering care to people facing the end of life.
Speaking at the conference the minister spoke about the goals underpinning their new vision for social care, describing them as 'principles that already lie at the heart of hospice care.' Jonathan Ellis adds:
"For more than 25 years local hospices have been providing highly personalised social care and support for people with life-limiting and terminal illness, providing a range of services, including day care, bereavement, carer and family support. Yet few local hospices receive any funding support from local councils, who frequently fail to recognise the important role that hospice care plays in providing social care services."
ENDS
Notes to editors
Jonathan Ellis is available for interviews and further comment. Case studies of hospice patients, carers and front line staff are available on request.
For media enquires please contact Zoe Grumbridge on 020 7520 8251 / z.grumbridge@helpthehospices.org.uk
For out of hours enquires please call 07881 940318.
