Hospices across Wales are warning of growing pressure on their staff as new survey findings show they are caring for patients with increasingly urgent and complex needs, at a time when increasing demand and rising costs are putting this care at risk.
A new survey of adult hospices in Wales conducted by Hospice UK shows:
- All hospices are caring for patients with increasingly urgent and complex needs
- Half report staff distress caused by turning patients and families away, or not having enough time with those they do reach
- 40% say staff sickness rates have increased over the past year
Hospices say these pressures are becoming unsustainable and are directly affecting the wellbeing of staff who provide vital care at the most vulnerable moments in people’s lives.
These challenges come at a time when palliative care needs in Wales are forecast to rise by 25% over the next 25 years, while hospices continue to face rising workforce costs and wider cost‑of‑living pressures.
Each year, Welsh hospices support over 20,000 children and adults living with terminal illness, providing essential, compassionate care that relieves pressure on the NHS and supports people within their own communities. But the combination of increasing need, staff distress and rising complexity is placing a strain on services.
Tracy Thomas, Director of Clinical and Patient Services at Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham, said that staff were seeing a significant increase in patients with highly complex needs, often referred much later in their illness when their condition has already deteriorated and there is little time to plan.
She said, “While we remain committed to providing compassionate, high‑quality care to everyone who needs us, the reality is that hospice services are supporting an increasing number of patients with more complex needs than ever before.
“Our teams are increasingly supporting people who require intensive symptom management, advance care planning and coordinated support across multiple services. We are also seeing growing demand from patients with neurological conditions and younger adults with complex needs, adding further pressure to already stretched services.
“Our staff work tirelessly to support patients and families through some of the most difficult times in their lives, but this comes with significant emotional and professional demands.
“Without sustainable investment in hospice care, it will become increasingly challenging for hospices across Wales to continue meeting the rising needs of their communities.”
It is a similar picture in Skanda Vale Hospice in Llandysul, where staff say that referrals for urgent care often come too late for a patient to receive the service at the time when it is most needed.
Kiera Jones, Lead Nurse at Skanda Vale, said, “Whilst we are generally able to prioritise patients accordingly, still some referrals come too late for a patient to receive the service.
“Community based palliative care services are overstretched, meaning that patients are often not able to be cared for or to die in their preferred place. This can be very distressing for the team, knowing that the limitations of service provision are failing to meet the needs of patients.”
Hospices Cymru and Hospice UK said that the new survey findings show clearly how demand and needs are increasing, and emphasised the vital role hospices provide in reducing pressures on NHS and social care services.
Most hospice care is delivered in the community, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions, supporting timely discharges, and reducing demand on GPs, district nursing and social care teams.
They are calling on the new Welsh Government to prioritise a fully implemented, sustainable, funding model.
Matthew Brindley, Policy and Advocacy Manager for Wales at Hospice UK, said, “These findings paint a stark picture of the pressure facing hospice staff across Wales. Teams are caring for people with increasingly urgent and complex needs, at a time when many hospices are struggling with the spiralling cost of living pressures.
“Hospice care is essential, and the people who deliver it deserve the support, stability and resources required to meet rising demand. A long‑term, sustainable funding model is now urgent.
“We welcome Plaid Cymru’s recognition of this in its manifesto and look forward to working with the Welsh Government to ensure hospices can continue providing the high‑quality care that patients and families rely on.”
To find out more about the work of Hospices Cymru and Hospice UK visit Homepage | Hospice UK
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