Bringing Care Closer to Home

Hospice UK has published a significant new report, Bringing Care Closer to Home, which calls for urgent action to address the inequalities faced by people living in remote, rural and island communities when it comes to accessing palliative and end of life care. Based on extensive engagement with patients, carers and professionals, the report finds that nearly two thirds of people living in rural areas said they or the person they cared for did not receive the care they needed. Two thirds of rural health and care staff also reported that there were not enough skilled workers to support people with life-limiting conditions—particularly in social care.

The report highlights the reality that many rural residents face difficult choices between remaining in their home communities or moving far from family and friends in order to receive appropriate care. These challenges are even more pronounced for families of children with complex, life-limiting conditions, where local staff may lack training and confidence in providing appropriate support.

With rural populations ageing more rapidly than those in urban areas, demand for palliative care is set to rise sharply. Hospice UK warns that without targeted action, rural communities will continue to face growing unmet need.

The report makes several key recommendations to improve access and quality of care in rural settings. These include:

• A shift to more community-based palliative care, backed by dedicated funding.
• National workforce plans to address recruitment and retention in rural health and care roles.
• Local systems and authorities being held accountable for commissioning rural-appropriate services.
• Stronger collaboration between local care providers, GPs, pharmacies, social care teams and hospices.
• A 24/7 palliative care helpline available in every area.

Read the full report on the Hospice UK website here.

The Rural Services Network recognises the importance of this work in shining a light on the particular challenges rural communities face at the end of life and supports the call for rural-proofed solutions. We encourage our members and stakeholders to read the full report and consider its implications for local service planning and delivery.