Emergency Department Deaths People at end of life may be admitted to an Emergency Department (ED) due to, among other reasons, limited out-of-hours support, a lack of community-based services and symptoms that become too difficult to manage at home 11 . This may lead to an emergency admission even when this may not be the most appropriate or preferred option. Conversely, this lack of out-of-hours support in the community may result in people choosing to stay in hospital, rather than go home, with concerns that the care and resources they need may not be available when required.
5,428 people died in, or on the way to, EDs in the five years from 2019-2023. 1,161 people died in EDs 2023 14 .
While many deaths in EDs may be unavoidable, when a person’s decline is predictable, their care may be better managed if an admission to ED (and possible subsequent death in this setting) was avoided. EDs are busy, high-intensity environments which can limit privacy and emotional support, making it less suitable for the delivery of end-of-life care. Creating dignified spaces for people at end of life in hospitals It can be a challenge in a busy hospital environment to create private, respectful, dignified and tranquil spaces for patients and families at end of life in hospitals, but we know the physical environment has a huge impact on people’s end-of-life experience. The National End of Life Survey found that, in 2022, 81% of people, whose loved one died in a single hospital room, said that they died in the right place compared with 51% of those whose loved one did not die in a single room 11 .
51% died in ward
81% died in single hospital room
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Irish Hospice Foundation
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