A new plan aimed at transforming end-of-life care in south Wales has been launched by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, with a focus on giving people with life-limiting illnesses more personalised support closer to home.
The health board will work in partnership with charities including Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie and City Hospice to deliver the palliative and supportive care strategy.
Around 3,900 people in the Cardiff and Vale area die each year from conditions requiring palliative care, a figure expected to rise to about 5,000 by 2040. Despite most people saying they would prefer to die at home, more than four in 10 deaths still take place in hospital, often after long admissions during the final year of life.
The new plan aims to change that by improving care in the last one to two years of life, reducing unnecessary hospital visits and increasing support at home or in the community. The goal is to help people spend their final months in a way that reflects their wishes and needs.
Key to the strategy is better coordination between hospital, community and voluntary services, so care is delivered in a more joined-up, timely and fair way. Services will be more locally based, helping patients and families access support when they need it.
Early results from the approach show positive outcomes. Nearly all staff involved have changed how they refer patients, allowing more people to access supportive care. Patient feedback has also been strong, with most reporting greater involvement in decisions, improved quality of life and high satisfaction with the service.
The programme is supported by the Macmillan End-of-Life Care Fund, which uses an outcomes-based funding model to ensure care is effective and sustainable.
Clea Atkinson, Clinical Lead for Palliative and Supportive Care at Cardiff and Vale, said the plan puts people at the centre of care. “By integrating our teams and introducing palliative care earlier, we’re ensuring people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time,” she said.
Richard Ball from Macmillan Cancer Support added that the partnership aims to reduce repeated hospital stays and help people live as well as possible in their final months, supported at home and in their communities.
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