Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK said: "We’re pleased to see the much-needed NHS long-term workforce plan for England, and welcome many of the measures announced. However, much more could and should have been done to increase the capacity not just in the NHS but in the wider health and social care workforce, including those working in hospices and care homes.
"Hospices are a vital partner to the NHS and deliver essential public services. They support 300,000 people every year and the demand for their care is growing. The hospice sector recruits from the same pool of workers as the NHS and also faces significant challenges in recruitment and retention. It is essential that any proposals aimed at both increasing overall numbers and also easing the movement of staff at all levels between different providers must include hospices.
"Government must look at the entire health and care workforce, including the full spectrum of palliative and end of life care, to ensure everyone gets the care they need from their first moments of life until their last."
