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Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responded to a report on “end-of-life” emergency hospital admissions

“Ensuring a dying person receives high quality end-of-life care that is dignified and reflects their wishes is an absolute priority for councils.

“End-of-life care is becoming more significant for health and social care services, as an increasing number of people now choose to die at home or in a care home than in hospital.

“We know that this is an extremely upsetting and traumatic time for families, which is why it is essential that dying people are supported in a sensitive, personal and caring way, and that families and individuals are provided with thorough information to help inform their care choices.

“Councils are working closely with the NHS to avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital through better self-management of conditions, better community support and better advice and information.

“However, due to historic underfunding, the adult social care system is under significant pressure and community based services are being reduced, which is impacting on inpatient services.

“The Government needs to provide urgent funding to councils to invest in prevention measures, which will help prevent hospital admissions in the first place.

“Social care needs to be put on an equal footing with the NHS and government needs to address immediate pressures as part of funding gap facing social care, which is set to exceed £2 billion by 2020.”

View report here