Hospices offer help with physical, psychological or social problems for those with advanced disease

Dr Teresa Tate, Marie Curie Cancer Care

The hospice movement is keen to revamp its image and to stress that it offers much more than just pain relief and a place to die.

For instance, many hospices have day centres where people can participate in art and pottery workshops.

'No chance' of returning home

The survey found that 27% of people in the UK believe that once patients enter a hospice, they have "no chance" of returning home.

Only 8% of the 2,100 people questioned were aware that half the patients go home after stay in a hospice.

Just half of the public was aware that hospices offered counselling and welfare support services.

And less than one in five realised patients could drink alcohol, have alternative therapies or even go on day trips.

Dr Teresa Tate, medical adviser at Marie Curie, said: "The stereotypical idea of a hospice as a sombre institution where people go to die doesn't in any way reflect the reality.

"Hospices offer help with physical, psychological or social problems for those with advanced disease.

"Unfortunately, many medical professionals believe hospices are only for people very close to death."

She added: "This misunderstanding can result in patients and families struggling unnecessarily with symptoms such as pain and psychological distress because their doctor doesn't think they are `ill enough' to go to a hospice."

Expert care

Dr Polly Edmonds, a consultant in palliative care at King's College Hospital, London, said she was trying to encourage more health professionals to admit terminally ill patients to hospices to improve their quality of life.

She said that there was a misconception among health professionals that hospices provided nursing home care, when in fact they were highly skilled in managing the symptoms of terminal illness.

She told BBC News Online: "Hospice beds should only be used for patients with specific palliative care needs, whether those are physical or psycho-social.

"Many admissions are fairly short, for 10 days to two weeks, and about 50% of admissions go home."

A total of 2,100 people in the UK were questioned for the survey.