MPs Must Urgently Fix the UK's Broken Palliative Care System
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/jane-turner. "MPs, you told us clearly that end-of-life care in the UK is broken. So now we need you to fix it | Jane Turner | The Guardian." September 28, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author, a palliative care nurse, argues that MPs from all sides agreed during the assisted dying debate that end-of-life care in the UK is failing many people, especially the poor and those without local specialist services. She's now urging the government not to let this urgency fade after the vote, but to invest in fixing hospital care, community support, and home-based hospice services so everyone gets a dignified death regardless of where they live.
Conclusion
The UK government must urgently invest in and reform palliative and end-of-life care, treating it as an essential, non-negotiable part of healthcare rather than a talking point that fades after the assisted dying debate ends.
Premises
- During the assisted dying parliamentary debate, MPs across the political divide agreed that the palliative care system urgently needs fixing, citing personal experiences of relatives suffering due to inadequate care
- Access to quality palliative care is a 'postcode lottery,' with some areas offering 24-hour specialist home support while neighboring areas leave A&E as the only option
- People from poorer backgrounds are more likely to struggle to access good quality palliative care, indicating systemic inequality
- When good palliative care is available, dying can be a calmer, more peaceful experience, but this is undermined by hospital overcrowding and lack of home-based support
- Much of the suffering witnessed at end of life is not physical pain but uncertainty, loneliness, and families being exhausted by navigating a complex system
- The urgency identified during the assisted dying debate risks being forgotten now that the vote is over and political attention shifts to conference season and other priorities like social care reform
Assumptions
- Political attention and will, once roused by a high-profile debate, tend to fade without sustained pressure or advocacy
- Investment in hospice-at-home services and community expertise would meaningfully reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and improve outcomes
- The current system's failures are primarily due to lack of investment and resource allocation rather than other structural or workforce issues
- MPs' expressed concern during the debate reflects genuine political will that can be translated into policy action if maintained
- Good palliative care and the assisted dying debate are separable issues that both deserve attention, rather than one crowding out the other