Comment in response to Welsh Government NHS pressures statement

In response to the Welsh Government’s statement on NHS Pressures and local NHS options

Lowri Griffiths, Head of Policy and Public Affairs for Marie Curie in Wales, said: “As the UK’s largest charitable provider of palliative care, we are acutely aware of the many serious implications coronavirus will have on the end of life care sector in the coming years, and as an organisation that is already gearing up to cope with increasing demand from an aging population, we also know we will see a considerable additional surge in demand to our services due to the delay of diagnosis and treatment during this crisis.

“We cannot predict the scale and impact quite yet, but there is no doubt this will be COVID-19’s next unforgiving wave of destruction to our sector, and there needs to be urgent action to ensure that people who require treatment receive it promptly, to avoid more families facing the devastating early deaths of loved ones in the coming months.

“We must also ensure end of life care is properly funded both now and in the longer term, to ensure we are able to cope with increasing demand, and to allow pressure to be taken off the NHS during these continuing difficult times.”