Researchers say more terminally ill people should die at home

A report in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has shown that fewer than a third of cancer patients lost their fight for life in their own beds.

The Scottish Executive needed to improve that figure, the report said.

Researchers argued that GPs and district nurses were in a position to identify terminally ill patients and provide them with effective relief.

'Futile' treatment

They claimed that people who receive support in the community may be less likely to need expensive and often futile hospital treatment.

They said that although 65% of cancer patients want to die at home, only 30% do so.

The report in the BMJ admitted that more research was needed but insists that the government should do more to extend good practice and improve patient choice.

The executive said it wants terminally ill patients to have their wishes met and it was working to achieve this.

Health Minister Andy Kerr said: "To achieve this specialist palliative care and primary healthcare teams must work together to meet patient needs.

"This is something we fully expect to happen and there are good examples of delivery across the country.