End of Life Care |
Introduction
Healthier Northamptonshire is a wide-ranging programme of improvements to health and social care across the county, involving commissioners, providers and users of those services.
Within Northamptonshire there are existing, high quality, end of life services. However, we know that the demand for, and our users' expectations of end of life services will grow. That is why end of life care is one of the workstreams for Healthier Northamptonshire.
We know from research that 92% of patients wish to die at home, in a hospice or care home and, of that figure, 66% would prefer to die at home. Currently, however, about 51% of patients in Northamptonshire die in hospital and only 27% of patients living in Corby die at home. This figure drops to 21% for patients living in other areas of the county.
The Office for National Statistics estimates that by 2019 there will be an additional 35,000 adults in Northamptonshire - this is the equivalent to the current population of Rushden and Higham Ferrers combined.
Our vision for end of life care is that compassionate care will be provided in a consistent, co-ordinated way by providers who are competent and confident in delivering high quality care. Patients will be enabled and supported to live and die in a place of their choice.
We are now developing plans to support implementation of our end of life care strategy and we are seeking your views on what is important to you when it comes to end of life care, so that these can be reflected in our plans.
Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey - and let us know your views.