An expert committee on palliative and compassionate care have released a report which highlights worrying deficiencies in palliative care services in Canada.

The document, entitled ‘Not to be forgotten: Care of vulnerable Canadians’ concluded that whilst some progress had been made in recent years, there were still serious shortcomings, with only 16-30% of those who need it receiving palliative care.

They also noted that palliative care services formed a “patchwork” around the country, with huge variations in access even within the same city. In less-populated, rural regions the scarcity of services is much more pronounced, with many Canadians having no access to end-of-life care whatsoever.

The committee strongly advocated the development of a national Palliative Care Strategy, stating that “even Georgia, in the former Soviet Union, and Poland have national strategies”. They also recommended an integrative model of palliative care which recognises the benefits of caring for seriously ill individuals at home and in their communities, rather than in hospitals and other institutions.

Read the full report here.