THE MYTON Hospices is urging open conversations around death during Dying Matters Awareness Week.
People across the UK are being encouraged to talk more openly about death and dying, helping to break down the stigma and taboo that too often surrounds the end of life.
And here in Warwickshire, The Myton Hospices is also hoping to draw attention to the growing gap between the care people need and the care the charity is able to provide.
The Myton Hospices is experiencing increasing demand for its services, with an 11 per cent rise in the need for hospice beds. However, due to funding constraints, only 25 of its 36 inpatient beds can currently remain open, limiting the number of people who can be supported at any one time.
It costs over £15 million each year for The Myton Hospices to provide its services free of charge to patients and their loved ones. As a charity, with less than 20 per cent of funding coming from the NHS, the organisation must raise more than £12 million annually. When funding does not keep pace with demand, access to vital care is directly affected.
Ruth, chief executive officer at The Myton Hospices, said: “As a hospice, we see every day the difference that specialist palliative care can make to people. But we are also acutely aware of the growing gap between the care people need and the care we are able to provide. It’s one of the reasons why it is so important that we talk more openly about death and dying, so that end of life care is better understood, better prioritised, and properly supported.”
Visit www.mytonhospice.org for more details.
