PATIENTS requiring end-of-life care on the Llyn Peninsula will no longer be bound to a “postcode lottery” if ambitious new plans are realised.

Proposals are being developed to expand hospice care in the region and end the current “inequality of service”.

Two local charities, St David’s Hospice and Hospice at Home Gwynedd and Anglesey, have agreed to work together to “radically improve the current level of palliative care.

The progressive plans aim to provide satellite hospice units with beds and other services in Pwllheli and Holyhead alongside an enhanced community hospice at home service.

The aim is to ensure that the people of north west Wales receive the very best palliative and end of life care.

This would mean that patients could be cared for in the setting of their choice either at home or in hospice care.

Trystan Pritchard, chief executive at St David’s Hospice, said: “We believe that our exciting plans will offer choice at the end of life and address the current inequality of available hospice care in the area and end the postcode lottery that exists.

"We have talked to patients, carers, families, local GPs and healthcare professionals and they have told us that there is a clear need for these facilities on Anglesey and in Dwyfor.”

At present, the only inpatient hospice beds are in North West Wales are located at St David’s main hospice in Llandudno with the Hospice at Home service covering Gwynedd and Anglesey.

This means that some patients will be faced with 90-minute journeys for inpatient hospice care, effectively removing the option for a significant proportion of vulnerable patients and their carers.

In addition both charities believe the current level of hospice at home care should be strengthened to provide a more seamless 24 hour service.

The hospices are working with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to develop these plans, possibly on hospital sites, and now look forward to detailed discussions on how this will be delivered.

Mr Pritchard added: “Over 80 per cent of hospice care is funded by the local community and the service provided will be entirely for local people.

“We will need the support of the people of Gwynedd and Anglesey to achieve our ambitions and we are determined that they will receive the level of end of life care that they deserve.”See this week's north editions for the full story, in shops and online now