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| Dying need 'free social care', cancer campaigners say | Dying need 'free social care', cancer campaigners say |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Free end-of-life social care is needed to save the NHS in England money and improve patient care, campaigners say. | Free end-of-life social care is needed to save the NHS in England money and improve patient care, campaigners say. |
| Macmillan Cancer Support says it could save the NHS in England £69m a year on the care of cancer patients alone. | Macmillan Cancer Support says it could save the NHS in England £69m a year on the care of cancer patients alone. |
| Its analysis is based on a review of patient surveys, official NHS spending data and interviews with senior decision-makers. | Its analysis is based on a review of patient surveys, official NHS spending data and interviews with senior decision-makers. |
| Social care is currently means-tested, but ministers are considering providing it to everyone at the end of life. | Social care is currently means-tested, but ministers are considering providing it to everyone at the end of life. |
| About half of people end up dying in hospital despite eight in 10 saying they would prefer to die at home. | About half of people end up dying in hospital despite eight in 10 saying they would prefer to die at home. |
| Macmillan's analysis said this equated to about 180,000 people spending their last days in hospital against their wishes. | Macmillan's analysis said this equated to about 180,000 people spending their last days in hospital against their wishes. |
| Savings | Savings |
| The cost to the NHS of this was estimated to be £685m a year, Macmillan said. | The cost to the NHS of this was estimated to be £685m a year, Macmillan said. |
| If those patients were cared for in the community via a combination of community NHS services and social care the cost would be £340m - a saving of £345m. | If those patients were cared for in the community via a combination of community NHS services and social care the cost would be £340m - a saving of £345m. |
| Of those 180,000 patients, about 36,000 are cancer patients. This would equate to a saving of £69m if they were able to die at home, Macmillan said. | Of those 180,000 patients, about 36,000 are cancer patients. This would equate to a saving of £69m if they were able to die at home, Macmillan said. |
| Earlier this week the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services warned the current system of social care was "unsustainable" because of a lack of funding and rising demands. | Earlier this week the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services warned the current system of social care was "unsustainable" because of a lack of funding and rising demands. |
| Macmillan chief executive Ciaran Devane said: "We urgently need to reform end-of-life services in England. Every day around 100 cancer patients die in expensive hospital beds when they wanted to die at home. | Macmillan chief executive Ciaran Devane said: "We urgently need to reform end-of-life services in England. Every day around 100 cancer patients die in expensive hospital beds when they wanted to die at home. |
| "This is both morally wrong and a scandalous waste of precious NHS resources." | "This is both morally wrong and a scandalous waste of precious NHS resources." |
| A Department of Health representative said: "We want to make sure that people nearing the end of their lives can choose where to spend their last days and have more of a say on how they are cared for. | A Department of Health representative said: "We want to make sure that people nearing the end of their lives can choose where to spend their last days and have more of a say on how they are cared for. |
| "We are currently reviewing how to improve the quality and experience of care at the end of life and the system for funding it." | "We are currently reviewing how to improve the quality and experience of care at the end of life and the system for funding it." |