AN NHS boss has praised an award-winning care scheme for terminally-ill patients on a visit to St Rocco’s Hospice.

James Sanderson, director of personalised care at NHS England, met staff and patients at the Bewsey hospice on Friday, February 2.

They have worked with NHS Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group on a scheme ‘at the national forefront’ for terminally-ill patients, who are now able to personalise their own end-of-life care.

Mr Sanderson said: “The work in Warrington is a fantastic example of how the government’s end-of-life choice commitments are being met through supporting people to make informed choices about their care, tailoring care for people’s individual needs and ensuring personalised care plans for all.

“I’m delighted to have this opportunity to hear firsthand how people’s care is being transformed in their last weeks and months.”

In the health budgets scheme, the spending of money used to support a patient is planned with them to allow them to decide how they wish to spend their final days.

Jonathan Murray-Seddon, the CCG’s head of continuing care, said: “To date, 176 people in Warrington have a personal health budget - a target which exceeds the plan for the whole year.

“Of those with a personal health budget, none designed their care in a similar way to the traditional offer and 83 per cent of end-of-life patients with a personal health budget died in their preferred place - compared with 62 per cent of people with a traditionally commissioned package.”