England’s palliative care services deemed ‘inadequate’ in major report | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleElla PickoverTuesday 24 March 2026 08:27 GMTHealth professionals in NHS fear palliative care after Harold Shipman murdersA report by MPs from the Health and Social Care Committee reveals that dying people across the UK face a "postcode lottery" in end-of-life care.The report deems palliative and end-of-life care services in England "inadequate" and under "significant pressure", citing issues such as funding struggles, a declining workforce, and an unsustainable funding model.Committee chairwoman Layla Moran highlighted the "heartbreaking reality" for patients and families struggling to access specialist care, particularly for children.The committee has called for specific standards for children's palliative care, 24/7 services nationwide, and a plan to strengthen the specialist workforce in the sector.Separately, a Dementia UK report indicates that people with dementia are "missing out" on timely and coordinated palliative care due to gaps in early planning and a lack of professional confidence and training.In fullHow dying patients in palliative care face ‘postcode lottery’ in their final daysThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in