Hospices in Wales warn growing demand is pushing staff to breaking point

Nation.Cymru staff

Hospices across Wales are warning that growing numbers of patients with complex and urgent needs are placing increasing pressure on staff, with some reporting distress at being unable to provide care to everyone who needs it.

A survey of adult hospices in Wales by Hospice UK found all respondents were caring for patients with increasingly complex needs, while half said staff had experienced distress because they had to turn patients and families away or did not have enough time to spend with those they were able to support.

The findings come as demand for palliative care in Wales is expected to rise by 25% over the next quarter of a century, while hospices continue to face rising staffing and operating costs.

The survey also found that 40% of hospices had seen staff sickness levels increase over the past year, adding to concerns about the sustainability of services.

Hospices in Wales support more than 20,000 children and adults living with terminal illness every year, providing care in patients’ homes, local communities and specialist settings.

But hospice leaders say growing demand, increasingly complex cases and financial pressures are making it harder to maintain services.

Tracy Thomas, Director of Clinical and Patient Services at Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham, said staff were increasingly caring for patients with highly complex needs who were often referred much later in the course of their illness.

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.”

Ms Thomas said hospice staff continued to provide vital support to patients and families during some of the most difficult periods of their lives, but warned the emotional and professional demands were increasing.

“Without sustainable investment in hospice care, it will become increasingly challenging for hospices across Wales to continue meeting the rising needs of their communities,” she said.

A similar picture has emerged at Skanda Vale Hospice near Llandysul, where staff say some patients are being referred so late that they are unable to receive the support they need when it would be most beneficial.

Overstretched

Lead Nurse Kiera Jones said overstretched community palliative care services were also affecting where people were able to spend their final days.

“Whilst we are generally able to prioritise patients accordingly, still some referrals come too late for a patient to receive the service,” she said.

“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.”

Hospice UK and Hospices Cymru said the findings highlighted the growing importance of hospice care at a time when demand on health and social care services is increasing.

Most hospice care is delivered in the community, helping people avoid unnecessary hospital admissions, supporting earlier discharge from hospital and reducing pressure on GPs, district nursing teams and social care services.

‘Pressure’

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 Welsh Government to ensure hospices can continue providing the high‑quality care that patients and families rely on.”