A hospice has highlighted its concerns over a report that says doctors and carers are failing dying patients

Care could be improved for up to 355,000 people a year, according to a report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman that highlights cases where patients’ suffering could have been avoided.

The report, which was released yesterday, identified six key themes that the ombudsman service regularly sees in its end of life care casework, including poor symptom control and delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Julie Mellor, from the ombudsman service, said: “This report highlights the impact on patients and their loved ones when the care and treatment of people nearing the end of their lives falls short.

“Our investigations have found that patients have spent their last days in unnecessary pain, people have wrongly been denied their wish to die at home and that poor communication between NHS staff and families has meant that people were unable to say goodbye to their loved ones.”

Staff at St Luke’s Hospice, in Kenton, have reacted to the report, which it says is “worrying” but adds the service is continuing its efforts to help improve care for those at the end of their lives.

Hospice chief executive Robin Webb said: “It was extremely worrying to read the Dying without Dignity report and how some areas of the NHS are failing dying patients and their families.

“In Harrow and Brent, St Luke’s Hospice is working closely with local GPs and a broad range of health and social care professionals across the two boroughs, along with commissioners within Harrow and Brent Clinical Commissioning Groups to improve end-of-life care.”

St Luke’s has been working with Health Education North West London on educating GPs on the challenges of end-of-life care and how it can be improved, with 205 health professionals attending training sessions between December 2014 and April 2015.

The hospice has also been delivering one day taster and evening sessions, along with courses aimed at GPs to help improve their services.

Mr Webb added: “Supporting people when illnesses no longer curable requires good partnership working between GPs, district nurses, hospitals, consultants and social workers and at St Luke’s we will continue to work closely with health and social care professionals to ensure people have the care and support they need.

“Talking about death and dying is difficult, but all of us need to be willing to have these discussions if we want people to be able to access the right care and support to enable them to live well in the time they have left and die with dignity in the place of their choice.”