With Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups aged 65 and over set to treble in the next 25 years, there is a growing need to rethink how accessible and appropriate end-of-life care is to people from diverse communities and their families, say palliative care experts.
A report Palliative and End-of-Life Care for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities in the UK, commissioned by Marie Curie Cancer Care and Public Health England from the Cicely Saunders Institute at King’s College London, has published highlights that the end-of-life care needs of BAME communities are varied, growing, and despite examples of good practice, overall not adequately met. In England and Wales it is predicted that, by 2026, there will be over 1.3 million people from BAME groups aged 65 and over, compared to just over half a million in 2001. By 2026 almost half a million will be aged 70 and over. A systematic review found that lack of knowledge about services, misunderstandings and mistrust, and a lack of cultural sensitivity on the part of service providers are identified as some of the reasons for low uptake of end-of-life care by BAME communities. The report authors say these issues can in part be addressed by improving communication with the patient and their family. The report recommends that service providers and commissioners recognise the growing need for improved end-of-life care for BAME communities and that they learn from examples of best practice, some of which are highlighted in the report.
