A new report, published by Help the Hospices in the UK, highlights what hospice nurses are doing to widen access to palliative and end of life care.

The report, 'Towards excellence in hospice care: widening access through nurse leadership', based on evaluation work by Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness, has demonstrated the creative ways hospices can work with marginalised people in end of life care.  

It is based on the innovative Widening Access through Nurse Leadership project, which saw hospices across the UK reaching out to underrepresented groups, and was funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing and managed by Help the Hospices.  

Nurses from 26 hospices across the UK were given funding to establish a wide range of new services reaching out to underrepresented groups.  

Heather Richardson, national clinical lead for Help the Hospices, said “Hospice nurses have irrefutably shown that, with support, they have the vision and expertise to better meet the needs of everyone in their community."  

Half of the major grants aimed to improve access for people with long-term illnesses, dementia and learning disabilities. Others focused on reaching marginalised groups such as ethnic minorities and people affected by homelessness.  

Read more about the report on the UK ehospice website.