A new report released today by Hospice UK and the University of Leeds has found that nationally, “adults with incurable diseases – including dementia, liver failure and stroke – are not receiving palliative care from hospices early enough during their illness because of the timing of referrals from other healthcare services”

Responses from 64 hospices around the UK – which did not include Trinity – found that in 2015 cancer patients who died were referred for hospice care around 53 days prior to death whilst for non-cancer patients the figure was around 27 days before death. At Trinity over the same year, patients with cancer were referred on average 251 days before they died and for patients with non-cancer diagnoses, the figure was 240.

Martin Powell, Director of Patient Services at Trinity said: “Trinity provides care for patients with any progressive, life-limiting condition within our catchment area, at any stage of their diagnosis. Our aim is to help patients and their families live every moment. The varied physical, spiritual, practical, emotional and social support we provide can benefit patients and their families at any stage of their diagnosis.

“We’re pleased to see that our colleagues working in health and social care across our catchment area understand and value early referrals to palliative care for their patients, which this data indicates. We work hard to maintain good relationships with those referring patients into Trinity and aim to ensure they are aware that we welcome early referrals.”