Hospices are there for the few
Hospices care for more than 200,000 people each year, including patients' friends and families. During the past five years, there has been a 15% increase in the number of patients cared for by local hospices.
Hospices only care for people with cancer
Hospices care for people with a wide range of life-limiting conditions. Thirteen per cent of hospice patients have a non-cancer diagnosis, and this figure rises to 20% among patients accessing hospice day care.
Hospice care is about what happens in a building
Most hospice care is provided in people's own homes. Almost 70% of hospice patients are cared for at home. In the past five years, the number of patients cared for at home has increased by almost 60%.
People go in to hospices to die
About 40% of hospice in-patients return home, and 66% of Hospice at Home patients die in their own homes. Among the population as a whole, almost 60% of people die in a hospital setting.
Hospices are small providers of care
Most hospice care is provided by local charities.
