40 care homes praised for long-term commitment to end-of-life care

An awards ceremony is being held on 28 November to recognise the achievements of 40 care homes in providing quality end-of-life care.

The homes were the first to achieve the Gold Standards Framework in Care Homes (GSFCH) reaccreditation three years ago, with the programme having since grown to become the UK’s most widely recognised training package for end-of-life care, with more than 2,000 care homes having become accredited.

GSFCH lead Maggie Stobbart-Rowlands comments on the benefits of the programmes: “The GSF Care Homes programme has helped all of these homes embed quality care for all their residents as they approach the end of their lives. The workforce feels empowered which in turn means the residents are receiving the right care, in the right place, every time, protecting them from inappropriate hospital admissions and increasing their chances of dying in their preferred place of care – their care home.

“Many of the homes have more than doubled the number of people fulfilling their wish to die in their care home and halved the rate of crisis hospital admissions. GSF is helping to transform end of life care in this sector. We hope that this gold standard of care will become the de facto standard to which all care homes will aspire and that they receive the recognition they deserve for all their hard work.”

In presenting the 40 care homes with awards for the second time, the programme organisers are looking to highlight the need for providers to make a long-term and sustainable commitment to quality end-of-life care, with all homes having demonstrated their long-term commitment.

South London’s Queens Oak Care Centre is one of these homes, making the most of staff potential so that 95 per cent of residents end their lives there without being admitted to hospital.

Care manager Lorna Thomas comments: “Before we did GSF it was just expected that people would end their lives in hospital and that is what used to happen with our residents dying in unfamiliar surroundings. GSF has changed all of that. We now work very closely with our GPs and the staff all have the confidence, training and support to talk to residents, plan their care and look after them in the home right up until their death.”

Villa Maria Nursing Home, in South Croydon, is another fine example with only one of its residents having to be admitted to hospital at the end of their life last year.

Head of care Maureen Donnelly says: “The last time one of our residents died in hospital was two years ago and that was their choice, otherwise we will do everything we can to help people spend their last days in the home. People feel the love as they come through the door, we help them live life to the full and care for them right up to the end. People tell us it’s just like being at home.”