There are more than 55,000 deaths per year across the East of England. Many of these people will have needed intensive support from both health and social services in their last year of life, with patients having an average of three admissions and spending 28 days in hospital. However, the quality of end of life care currently provided across the region is variable and although some patients and their families experience excellent levels of care, others will not have received such good treatment. There is a lack of public awareness and discussion of end of life issues and healthcare services are focused on cure not care. Professionals are often poor at identifying when individuals are entering the last year of life, and can appear to focus only on physical problems rather than adopting a holistic approach to care.

Where people die

In the East of England about half of all deaths occur in an acute hospital setting, although this depends on the disease. Fifteen percent of deaths from cancer occur in a hospice. Hospital deaths are more likely in people who die from disease of the circulatory system, respiratory disease or gastrointestinal disease. Deaths from mental disorders or neurological disease are more likely in a care home setting.