Healthcare systems struggle to treat people with multiple conditions

 The terminal illness charity, Marie Curie, has responded to a report from The Academy of Medical Sciences released today, which has found that healthcare systems are struggling to treat people with multiple health conditions. 

Dr Adrian Tookman, Medical Director at Marie Curie, said:  

“People often don’t die of just one condition. They have complex illnesses and need support to help coordinate their care and manage their symptoms. In England alone, 44% of adults in the last year of life have multiple long-term conditions. Our health and social care system is, sadly, not equipped to provide individualised care to every person living with multiple diseases. But when terminally ill patients slip through the cracks it can mean they die without the dignity we all deserve and often in unnecessary pain.

“In the last year of life, these people should be enjoying the time they have left with the people they love. Palliative care professionals will tell you that you need to holistically treat the person, not the disease. We know this approach dramatically increases quality of life but a lack of awareness around what palliative care can achieve means that patients and their loved ones will continue to be let down by a system that isn’t just struggling to cope but drowning.

 “Every day, Marie Curie’s provides this holistic, individualised care based on the person’s needs. Early referral to this type of care not only improves quality of life for patients but can also help extend life.”