Marie Curie responds to Chief Medical Officer's annual report 2020: health trends and variation in England

In response to the Chief Medical Officer's annual report 2020: health trends and variation in England

Sam Royston, Director of Policy and Research at the end of life charity, Marie Curie, said:

“The deeply shocking findings of the Chief Medical Officer’s report shows how those most disadvantaged by society – through poverty, or as a result of their ethnicity – have their health damaged as a result.

“We know that they have died in higher proportions this year.  But, as shown by this important report, this trend is far from new, and shows no sign of stopping. As a country we cannot let this continue.

“Our own research shows that people from poorer communities and ethnic minorities also have a worse experience of dying and bereavement in terms of the care and support they access. The pandemic has focused attention on the importance of what happens to people when they die and the impact that has on the people they leave behind.

“Policymakers, charities, health and social care providers all need to look at the way we die as a social justice issue. We need to ensure that people living with terminal illness have access to the financial support they need to ensure they don’t spend the final stage of their life in poverty, and we must resource the end of life sector in a way which promotes equity of access to services, including, crucially, for the most disadvantaged communities.”