Government 'needs to double hospice spend': Harney

A new study has revealed a wide disparity in the provision of hospice care around the country.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney has said that the current €60m spending by the Government on hospice and palliative care needs to be more than doubled.

A report released today by the Irish Hospice Foundation has confirmed there is huge inconsistency and inequality in services across the country.

Spending per patient (on care staff and specialist palliative care inpatient unit beds) varies from €1.50 in the Midlands to €31 in the North West.

Only seven of the health board areas have hospice inpatient units while the remaining three - Midlands, North East and South East, which cover 12 counties - have none.

Foundation CEO Eugene Murray has described the available care as a lottery.

"The type of care you are going to have access to depends on where you live and what diagnosis you have," he said.