End-of-life care standards ‘are improving in England’

End-of-life care standards have improved in England over the last decade, though further improvements are needed, according to a new report.

Public Health England's What We Know Now 2014 study indicated that most people in England would prefer to live out their final days in their own homes, with hospices and care homes ranking second and third.

The proportion of people dying at home or in care homes increased from 35 percent in 2004 to 44 percent in 2013, while the number of people dying in hospitals has dropped by 50,000 since 2004. In 2013, this was less than half of all deaths.

It was also shown that the factors most important to people at the end of their life are having pain and other symptoms managed effectively, being surrounded by loved ones and being treated with dignity.

Professor Bee Wee, NHS England's national clinical director for end of life care, said: "There remains a challenge to ensure that the quality of care for people approaching the end of their lives, and those important to them, is as good as it can be, regardless of where this takes place."