Palliative Care
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of people who died while waiting to receive end-of-life care in each financial year since 2020–21.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
The Department does not hold data on the number of people who died while waiting to receive palliative or end‑of‑life care in England.
Palliative care and end‑of‑life care are broad, holistic approaches delivered across a range of settings, including hospitals, primary care, community services, hospices, and care homes. As such, there is no single national waiting list for these services, and activity is not consistently recorded or coded in a way that would allow this information to be captured centrally.
Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning palliative care and end‑of‑life care services to meet the needs of their local populations, and NHS England has published statutory guidance to support commissioners in ensuring sufficient provision of services based on local need.
We recognise the importance of timely access to high‑quality care at the end of life, which is why the Government is developing a Modern Service Framework for Palliative Care and End‑of‑Life Care, which will support improvements in access, quality, and sustainability of services, and help ensure that high‑quality, personalised care is available across all settings. An interim update has now been published in the form of a Written Ministerial Statement, with the full report due to be published in Autumn 2026.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →