What is End of Life Care (with statistics)

End of life care can perhaps best be described as the care of someone who either has a terminal condition or is in the last few days, weeks, months or even years of their life and it is also known as palliative care. Approximately 500,000 people die each year in England, and this figure will continue to rise due to the increase in population. It is widely accepted that the majority of people die at an advanced age, and as people get older, their health needs generally become more complicated. However, there are estimated to be around 40,000 children and young people in England living with a life-shortening or life-threatening health condition. 

A 2015 survey showed that more than 30% of people who died in hospital were reported by their families and carers to have received “poor” or “fair” care. On top of this, 40% of families believe that them and their loved ones did not receive the dignity and respect they thought they both deserved. It is so important that during any end of life care that both the patient and the patient’s family are cared for in the best possible way, to ensure that the situation can be managed in as dignified way as is possible.