Specialist palliative care can save up to £8,000 per person and improve quality of life.
The new study, published by researchers from the National Institute for Health Research’s (NIHR) Palliative and End-of-Life Care Policy Research Unit at King’s College London, Hull York Medical School, the University of Hull and the University of Leeds, looked at two methods of care for people living at home and those in acute hospital settings.
In addition to significantly reducing overall per capita care costs, specialist palliative care provided at home or in hospital has been found to be associated with improved quality of life for patients in their final months of life.
Although approximately 1% of people die each year in high-income countries, this group accounts for 8-10% of all health spending. A major cause of this high cost is unplanned hospitalizations, which can lead to fragmented and unsatisfactory care. In these countries, many people with serious illnesses prefer to be treated at home if possible, but many end up dying in hospital.
This new study used economic modeling to assess the potential savings that specialist palliative care could provide to the NHS. Researchers combined the best available evidence from other studies and government statistics to estimate cost savings from reducing unscheduled hospital care. This is better for patients and the NHS. Quality of life was measured by assessing five aspects of patients’ health: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain, and anxiety or depression.
Specialist palliative care at home saved costs by £7,908 per death, while specialist palliative care in hospital saved costs by £6,480 per death.
Specialist palliative care refers to the care of people with more complex needs at the end of life who cannot be cared for by primary or core care teams. It requires a professionally skilled workforce experienced in the provision of palliative care as a primary role.
Researchers found that specialist palliative care could support more than 20,000 out-of-hospital deaths in the UK in 2022, saving around 1.5 million bed days and reducing healthcare costs by £817 million. Many people are missing out on high-quality palliative care even when available, increasing the need for enhanced palliative care in hospices, community teams, and hospitals. This new study demonstrates the value and cost-effectiveness of specialist palliative care in helping to solve a major systemic problem in the NHS.
Previous research has shown that specialized palliative care can help people with serious illness stay at home. This is the first study to estimate the impact on the UK economy. Approximately half of people who could benefit from specialist palliative care receive palliative care, which is highly cost-effective for both patients and the NHS. We must now turn to understanding how and why people who might benefit are not receiving palliative care. ”
Peter May, senior study author and senior lecturer in health economics, King’s College London
Professor Frith Mater, from Hull York Medical School, said: “Many people may be reluctant to seek palliative care, believing that it may accelerate their decline and put further pressure on health services. The reverse is also true. “This study shows that quality care in the right setting can improve quality of life, reduce symptoms and other concerns, and reduce pressure on the NHS. All people with serious medical conditions should seek palliative care.”
