Don’t forget hospice patients in big NHS cash boost plans
THE new chief executive of St Ann’s Hospice has welcomed news of a multimillion pound investment in the region’s healthcare - but says care for people with cancer should not be forgotten when plans are made.
NHS England is ploughing £19m into Stockport over the next three years, to help bring hospitals, social services and community healthcare closer together for patients, as part of a £450m devolution deal.
Eamonn O’Neal, who joined the charity as chief executive last week, said: “Any action that makes the lives of the people of Greater Manchester better is obviously welcomed, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the plans progress.
“I think it’s important though that, especially with an increasingly aging population, it’s remembered and recognised that hospices play an important part in health and social care in Greater Manchester and beyond, helping support people away from the hospital environment as much as possible by giving them specialist care which improves the quality of their lives.
“For many this continues for several years as we help them to live the very best life they can.
“This is extremely important when you consider the increasingly stretched NHS and I know that CCGs in Greater Manchester are more committed than ever to improving end of life care. At St Ann’s we’re keen to continue working with the CCGs to help them deliver even better support for people who are often experiencing one of the most vulnerable times of their lives.”
The proposed new models of care aim to bring together frontline services and commissioning to reduce the number of hospital trips for patients by ensuring more care is provided close to home.
Eamonn added: “Everyone deserves the same quality of care and support at the end of their life as they receive when they are born and it shouldn’t matter where they live or which community they belong to.
“There are definitely some gaps currently and it’s vital that any postcode lottery around care for people with life-limiting illnesses is addressed.
“At St Ann’s we’re the experts in end of life care and it’s absolutely crucial that we’re at the table to give a voice to our patients – and future patients who could benefit from our services and improve their quality of life.”