​Northern Ireland facing a ‘tsunami of need’ for end of life care for the terminally ill

Marie Curie’s chief executive has expressed fears that as NI faces the UK’s biggest increase in palliative care demand in the next 25 years, there is a lack of “planned resources to deal with it”.

A new report from the charity, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary along with the NHS, claims the demand will rise by 32% by 2048, and calls for the urgent need to improve and grow the support needed for people at the end of life “before it is too late".

Marie Curie analysis reveals there will be 20,443 people in Northern Ireland needing palliative care in 2048, compared to 15,443 currently.

According to the charity, one in four people in the UK dies without the care and support they need at the end of their life.

Chief executive Matthew Reed said Marie Curie intends to be part of the solution to improve the situation for people and their families across the UK“At Marie Curie we're very conscious of the fact there's a gap around people who are not getting the end of life care they need, and that gap is getting bigger, particularly for the poorest communities. Every year, more and more people will be dependent on end of life care – we are going to spend longer in the last chapter of life, with more complex health needs,” he said.

The charity’s broad offering includes services such as Rapid Response, which provides urgent hands-on care and helps to reduce the risk of unplanned hospital admissions, and a Support Line for practical or clinical information, as well as emotional support, for those living with or caring for someone with a terminal illness.

Joan McEwan, Marie Curie’s associate director for policy and public affairs in NI, said: “We are not just talking about more people with terminal cancer needing palliative care in the next 25 years. People with illnesses which can be terminal include Alzheimer’s (and other forms of dementia), motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, and heart diseases and they all face an increasing need for expert palliative care. And as our population is living longer, as we age our needs are also becoming more complex as we contract one or more long-term conditions”.