Dying people’s right to health care has been made explicit in law for the first time under new government plans for England. Alongside the government announcement, end of life charity Marie Curie released figures showing that around 215,000 people miss out on end-of-life care every year. Baroness Illora Finlay described the change in the law, being introduced in the new Health and Social Care Act 2022, as “incredibly important”. She added: “For the first time, the NHS will be required to make sure that there are services to meet the palliative care needs of everyone for whom they have responsibility in an area. People need help early, when they need it, seven days a week – disease does not respect the clock or the calendar.”
