SOUTH Craven people could benefit from improved end-of-life care.

North Yorkshire's health watchdog is calling for a multi-agency task force to be formed to up provision across the county.

It follows publication of a report, drawn-up by the county council's scrutiny of health committee after a six-month investigation, which highlights a need for investment in community-based facilities.

The research found that 75 per cent of people experienced good-quality end-of-life care, whether at home, in a care home or in hospital.

But it also revealed that whilst most people would prefer to die in their own home, nearly half die in hospital.

Committee chairman, County Councillor Jim Clark, said: "People do not like to think about death and their own mortality.

"As a consequence, opportunities to make early plans and exercise choice are missed.

"Often people end their days in a hospital bed when they would have preferred to be with family and friends in a familiar and comforting environment like their home, a care home or a hospice."

He said the quality and availability of end-of-life care across the county was variable and people were not always able to access the support and services they needed or exercise choice over what plans they wanted put in place for their final days.

County Cllr Clark added: "This is not the fault of any one agency or organisation but a symptom of a health and social care system that is disjointed and under considerable financial stress.

"The report has found that there are a great many examples of good planning, services and joint working.

"However, much of what is currently done is dependent upon goodwill and strong local, operational relationships, rather than a coherent and planned approach across agencies and organisations."

He stressed that service improvement would not necessarily involve significant investment or restructuring.

"A starting point would be greater co-ordination of existing health, social care and voluntary and community services in the county," he said.

"A multi-agency forum for commissioners and providers of end-of-life care would offer this co-ordination and lead to the development and sharing of good and best practice."