End of Life
What did we say in Healthy Ambitions?*
1
The End of Life Pathway found that the quality of care we provide to people nearing the end of their lives suffers as a result of the disinclination to talk about death and dying. We are not meeting patients wishes towards the end of their lives with patients dying in hospital when they would prefer to die at home.
PCTs across Y&H have worked with the SHA to agree which of the recommendations in the end of life pathway should be taken forward locally and which might need action at regional level.
They therefore recommended that:
- Every NHS area to develop a better range of services for people nearing the end of their lives
- Clinical teams caring for patients, their families and carers should deliver agreed standards of care
- Each area to establish a single care co-coordinator
- Every patient should have access to a ‘key worker’ contact through their practice
- Advanced care planning should happen everywhere
- End of life care to form part of training and education for NHS staff
- We should create a more open climate to discuss end of life care.
End of life care is every one’s business – not just specialist palliative care staff – all clinicians in all settings should be able to address the care of patients and families at the end of their lives.
*Full details can be found at: www.healthyambitions.co.uk/end_life.html
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