A hospice depending on fundraising and donations to provide home care to terminally ill patients has called for more government funding.
It follows a watchdog report that revealed many dying patients are being let down and forced to end their life in hospital.
The National Audit Office's End of Life Care report said that most would prefer not to die in hospital but a lack of NHS an
d social care support means they have no choice.
Published last week, it also highlighted that hospices are caring for nearly three times as many patients at home compared to those they nurse at an in-patient facility.
Figures for 2006/07 revealed that 112,000 people received hospice at home care whilst 38,000 received in-patient care.
Robert Breakwell, appeals and communications director at the Iain Rennie Hospice at Home (IRHH), said: "This clearly demonstrates that hospices are contributing to the end of life care at home for terminally ill patients on a far bigger scale than had been previously recognised by government and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs)."
The Tring-based charity provides free around the clock care to anyone with a terminal illnesses wishing to be cared for at home in the Chilterns area of Herts and Bucks.
The watchdog highlights the large variation in the amount of money given to palliative care services by PCTs and said the 'expenditure does not reflect the pattern of need'. The IRHH received just 16 per cent of its income from PCTs last year against a national average of around 30 per cent.
Mr Breakwell said: "The situation simply cannot continue if the government's commitment to good end of life care for all is to be achieved.
"We will continue to lobby for a fairer level of PCT funding for our hospice at home service to ensure that terminally ill patients receive the care they need at home if this is where they wish to die."
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