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NHS End of Life Care Programme

  • Last modified date:
    5 March 2007

The NHS End of Life Care Programme commenced in November 2004 and the aims are to improve the quality of care at the end of life for all patients and enable more patients to live and die in the place of their choice. The proposed outcomes of the programme are:

  • Greater choice for all patients in their place of care and place of death;
  • Decreased numbers of emergency admissions for patients who preference is a home death;
  • Decreased numbers of patients transferred from a care home to district general hospital in last week of life;
  • Generalists skilled in the use of care models to improve end of life care.

This will be achieved by providing health and social care staff practical solutions on how they can improve end of life care for all.  Three suggested approaches:

The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) which was developed within primary care, identifies patients nearing the end of life, assesses their care needs and preferences:

The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP) was developed from hospice care for people in hospital and other settings.  The LCP promotes good communication with patients and family, anticipatory planning including emotional, spiritual and psychological needs, symptom control and care after death.

The Preferred Place of Care Plan (PPC) is a document that patients hold.  Patients' record thoughts about their care and choices, including stating their preference for place of death.  Family Information can be recorded so new care staff can refer to and record changes.

The implementation of the End of Life Care Programme is via the Strategic Health Authorities and Primary Care Trusts who have developed local plans according to locally identified priorities.  Work is also underway with other statutory and voluntary organisations to help support this work.

Programme information: End of Life Care team: www.endoflifecare.nhs.uk  Email: information@eolc.nhs.uk Tel 0116 2225103

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Long-term conditions information strategy

This aims to ensure that implementation of the quality requirements in the National Service Framework (NSF) for Long-Term Conditions is facilitated by the availability of the appropriate information for patients, families and carers, the general public and care professionals.

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