The Coalition of Frontline care for people nearing the end of life welcomes the latest commission report into palliative and end of life care. They commented:

“We share the Commission’s desire for urgent improvement in the quality and availability of care for people nearing the end of their life. We were pleased to have had the opportunity to contribute by providing oral and written evidence, as well as submitting our report, End of Life Care is Everyone’s Business. Though much of the Commission’s report focused on specialist palliative care, the importance of the generalist health and social care workforce was highlighted as vital to any future National Strategy.

“The need for quality training and support for health and social care staff at all levels was emphasised as a key means of improving care and preventing emergency admissions. Mandatory undergraduate palliative care training for all health and social care staff was recommended from Sept 2026. The benefits of early identification were noted, and advance care planning discussions with patients and families to plan future care were affirmed, with training in communication skills recommended. We were also pleased to see the report’s focus on the importance of collaboration with other specialists, including experts in older people’s healthcare (geriatric medicine), in the report. A proposal for accessible evidence from both health and social care professionals via an Impact Centre (a ‘what works’ point of contact), was also welcomed.

“The Coalition of Frontline Care represents the frontline generalist workforce in health and social care, including over 3 million staff in care homes, domiciliary care, primary care, acute and community hospitals, and retirement communities. Together, this workforce provides the majority (approx. 90%) of frontline care for people nearing the end of life in the UK. We advocate a radical transformational shift in care for people nearing the end of life, the majority of whom live and die with age-related conditions, such as frailty and dementia, along with multiple other long-term conditions. Therefore, if good quality end of life care is to be the norm in our country, we affirm the need for a ‘both/and’ approach, including investment in both generalists and specialists in end-of-life care. To achieve its ‘home first’ approach and shift care from hospitals to the community, the Government must properly resource the support and training of the frontline generalist workforce. As outlined in our Exec Summary Key Asks, we call for greater recognition of and investment in the frontline generalist workforce, as well as investment in
specialist palliative care and specialists in older people’s healthcare.

“Many of the Commission’s recommendations are aligned with the Coalition’s messages, but we hope the vital roles of frontline generalist providers and experts in older people’s healthcare are more strongly emphasised in the final two volumes of the report. With the UK’s ageing population and more people living longer with age-related conditions, it must be recognised that generalist health and social care staff provide the majority of care for those nearing the end of life. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan must address the need for investment in training and support for the three million committed frontline staff providing hands-on end of life care for most people nearing the end of life in this country.”

 

About the Coalition of Frontline Care

The members are:

  • National Care Forum
  • British Geriatrics Society
  • Homecare Association
  • Gold Standards Framework Charity
  • Care England
  • Association of Retirement Communities Operators.

The Coalition represents the majority of the frontline generalist workforce in health and social care (over three million), providing most of the hands-on care for the majority of people nearing the end of life in our country.

Read more about the Coalition on their website here

 

BCOP’s commitment

At BCOP, we see this need every day. Through our nursing homes – Anita Stone Court in Moseley, Neville Williams House in Selly Park, and Robert Harvey House in Handsworth Wood – we deliver palliative care that reflects the values of dignity, choice, and compassion.

We support the Coalition’s calls for:

  • Recognition of the generalist workforce’s central role

  • Government investment in training and resourcing

  • Integration of geriatric and palliative expertise into national policy

Looking ahead

As the Government develops its 10-Year Health Plan, BCOP urges decision-makers to recognise that good end of life care starts not with a hospital admission, but in the everyday care provided by committed generalists.

Only by investing in the full spectrum of care can we ensure that every person, wherever they live, can experience the best possible final chapter of life.

BCOP is a member of NCF.

About the National Care Forum

The NCF is  the leading association for not-for-profit social care.

NCF brings together more than 170 of the UK’s leading social care organisations, representing large numbers of care providers, offering thousands of services across the country, which are not for profit and always at the heart of community provision. Collectively, these organisations deliver more than £2.3 billion of social care and support to more than 277,000 people. The NCF membership body collectively employs more than 124,000 staff and 14,000 volunteers.
More information is available on the National Care Forum at www.nationalcareforum.org.uk. @NCFCareForum @vicrayner @NCF_Liz