A HEALTH facility has had its say after a recent survey found 73 per cent of adults in the UK believe hospices should be used to relieve the pressure on hospitals.

Wigan and Leigh Hospice in Hindley has played its part in helping Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) over the years and has vowed to continue to support the borough with its services.

The survey, which was published by Hospice UK and was conducted by ComRes, also found only 47 per cent of adults think hospitals are well-equipped to provided end-of-life care.

A figure of 75 per cent also agreed a partnership between NHS and the UK's 220 charitable hospices would improve the quality of care in hospital.

Chief executive of Wigan and Leigh Hospice Dr Alan Baron said: “Over the last 12 months our Inpatient Unit had over 270 admissions and provided over 4,700 nights of care.

"Many of these patients would have been in hospital if they were not with us.

“Additionally, our community nursing teams cared for over 900 people with a life-limiting illness in their own home over the last 12 months.

"Our Hospice In Your Home team looks after patients in the last few weeks of life while our Hospice Nurse Specialists provide advice and support to patients, which includes prescribing medication.

"Care provided by both of these teams means patients are staying at home rather than going into hospital.”

The Kildare Street hospice has a 24-hour helpline to potentially prevent patients from going to an A and E department after talking to a member of staff about their symptoms or concerns.

A Lancaster University study also recently discovered that since the Hospice In Your Care Home service started working with care homes there has been a 25 per cent reduction in unnecessary hospital admissions of their residents.