Response to Health & Social Care Committee report on Cancer Services

In reponse to the latest report from the Health and Social Care Comittiee on Cancer Services, Ruth Driscoll, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at end of life charity, Marie Curie, says:

"Those working in the palliative care sector have for over a year now been seeing an increased number of terminally ill patients who have faced delays in care. According to our research in partnership with the Association for Palliative Medicine (APM), 86% of palliative care clinicians reporting that they had encountered patients presenting as terminal who had had a late diagnosis due to the NHS backlog.

"The latest report from the Health & Social Care Committee on Cancer Services, together with our own findings, makes it clear that dying patients, whether newly diagnosed or not, are becoming collateral damage in this pandemic. Gaps already exist in palliative care services across the country and the government's consultation on its new National Cancer Plan made no mention of palliative care, so the picture is very frightening.

"We must ensure action is taken to provide proper support for palliative care providers and charities so that we are equipped to handle the ongoing fallout of the pandemic. We want everyone to be able to access the vital care they need, including in the final phase of their life. In 2022, no one should have to die in pain and without dignity."