Addressing inequitable access to hospice care

The ‘Lancet Commission on the Value of Death’ proposes radical change and challenges the very core of hospice service provision. Without action, inequalities in access to hospice care will continue to be amplified. The COVID pandemic brought increased needs and demands in the community setting but also provided opportunities for new palliative partnerships and ways of working. Returning to the status quo should not be an option. Rather moving towards a shared vision and purpose, which has the person and their community network at its centre, enables hospices to have a pivotal role and bring about more equitable palliative care.