Foyle Hospice’s Donall Henderson warns the North is facing ‘a palliative care’ challenge
The Chief Executive of the Foyle Hospice Donall Henderson has warned the North is facing a ‘palliative care challenge’ and joined colleagues in calling for a ‘postcode lottery’ in provision to end.
Mr. Henderson made the comments at the launch of ‘With The End In Mind: Delivering equitable, quality and sustainable hospice care for NI’, a new report from the Hospice Alliance Northern Ireland (HANI), at Stormont.
The document warns that maintaining the status quo is no longer an option, with access to care varying according to geography, diagnosis, service availability and how people enter the health and social care system.
“Northern Ireland is facing a growing palliative care challenge,” said Mr. Henderson. “More people are living longer with complex, progressive and life-limiting conditions, while too many people are not getting the support they need, when they need it.”
This was echoed by colleagues from Evora Hospice Care, Marie Curie Northern Ireland, and Northern Ireland Hospice, including Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice.
Economic analysis commissioned by HANI estimates that up to 19,000 people could benefit from palliative care each year by 2036, almost 17% more than in 2024. This comes against existing unmet need, with UK-wide research indicating that around one in three people who die have unmet palliative care needs.
The new report itself quotes Annmarie Casey, Director of Nursing and Clinical Care, Foyle Hospice, on the particular needs of geographically isolated communities and patients.
She states: “We support a wide population including people who live in very rural areas, and sometimes that brings additional challenges for patients and families, as well as for our staff.
"Longer travel times and the practical realities of rural living can make access to care more difficult, particularly when patients' needs change quickly. Our teams work hard to bring care as close to home as possible, but everyone should have the same opportunity to access hospice care, regardless of where they live.”
The report identifies five priorities for action:
- Ensuring equitable access for all – reducing unwarranted variation and ensuring care is based on need.
- Expanding care closer to home – increasing high-quality palliative care in people’s homes and communities.
- Workforce capacity and capability – developing the skilled workforce needed to meet growing demand.
- Sustainable funding and commissioning reform – creating a fairer model that recognises hospice care as essential health and social care capacity.
- Leadership, partnership and innovation – strengthening collaboration across hospices, Government, commissioners and the wider Health and Social Care system.
Mr. Henderson said: "We cannot allow the gap between need and provision to widen. Government must act quickly to address inequity and create a sustainable funding and commissioning model for hospice and palliative care.
“This report is not simply another call for more money. It is a shared vision for change. Every person in Northern Ireland should have access to the right care, at the right time and in the right place. Where you live should not determine the care you receive.”
The HANI report, With The End In Mind: Delivering equitable, quality and sustainable hospice care for Northern Ireland, is available at www.hospiceallianceni.org/vision-report