'Palliative care sector crying out for reform'

At-home aid can help meet needs, says hospice boss

- BY LAURA ZILINCANOVA

PALLIATIVE care is outdated and needs urgent modernisation to cope with Britain’s ageing population, a hospice boss has said.

James Sanderson, chief executive of Sue Ryder, one of the largest hospice groups, suggested reforms such as rolling out virtual wards to provide at-home care and care teams in hospital A&E departments.

He said the government's forthcoming plan must deliver, as “palliative care is crying out for reform”, adding: “We need more funding.

“And it’s clear that the resources available at the moment will not meet the demands that we have now, let alone the demand in the future of an ageing population.

“But there’s a more complex issue that isn’t just about extra cash, because the extra cash needs to be within a system of reform.