Most Britons would rather die at home

By Peter Apps

LONDON (Reuters) - Two thirds of Britons would rather die at home, according to a survey, but in reality they are three times more likely to spend their last days in hospital.

Charity Marie Curie Cancer Care, which provides visiting specialist nurses for those dying of cancer and other terminal diseases, said with relatively little government investment it should be possible for as many to die at home as in hospital.

The charity said many people thought they would get better pain relief and care in hospital but pilot projects across Britain had shown visiting nurses were just as capable of tackling these issues in the home.

Rapid response specialist nurses could provide better, more suitable care than simply calling an ambulance every time a patient deteriorated, which usually lead to them being rushed into hospital that could do little anyway.

"To die at home ... does not cost any more: if anything it costs less," said charity chief executive Thomas Hughes-Hallett.

Just under 600,000 Britons die each year, 112,000 of them at home and 335,000 in hospital, the Office for National Statistics says.

The survey of nearly 2,000 adults showed that as well as worries over availability and quality of home care, many said they would choose to die in hospital to take pressure off their friends and family.

Other surveys have shown many Britons unhappy with the manner of the deaths of relatives in hospital, citing a lack of nursing care and support that can leave the dying confused and isolated.

The charity said the government had promised in its 2005 election manifesto to double spending on end-of-life palliative care, but that no such increase had been made.