Round-the-clock access to professionals among new end-of-life care commitments
People nearing the end of their life are to have round-the-clock access to palliative care experts under plans to help tackle variations in care.
They will be given a key contact so they know who to reach at any time of day, health minister Ben Gummer announced.
The experts will be able to help the patients or their loved ones who may need support with symptom control or deteriorating conditions late at night or at weekends.
The move comes as the Government introduces a raft of measures to improve care across England in its response to an independent review which said many patients do not receive good quality care which meets their individual needs and wishes.
All dying people will get personalised care plans, Mr Gummer said. He also announced a renewed focus on improving end-of-life care training for medics.
“Our commitment is that every person nearing the end of their life should expect a good death: attentive, dignified and compassionate care,” said Mr Gummer.
“To do this, we will address poor care where it exists and accelerate improvement across the health and social care system in England. Already there are exemplary models of good care and we will ensure that where care is not so good we can learn from what is best and translate it to where it is needed most.”
Review chairwoman Claire Henry, chief executive of the National Council for Palliative Care, said: “We know that numbers of people dying each year are starting to increase, and we’ll only get one chance to get it right for them.
“It is so important for people to be able to talk openly and honestly about death and dying. People need to feel comfortable and confident discussing their options and choices with health and social care staff, and their wishes and preferences with their families. From there, having their preferences recorded once, and having a single point of contact to co-ordinate care, will make a powerful difference.”
Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Better training and education for nurses and healthcare professionals on end-of-life care is also a positive move that could make a huge difference to those at the end of their lives.
“We welcome the Government’s plans to ensure that those who are dying get a personalised care plan. This will make it easier for relatives and healthcare staff to make sure patients get the care they want and, where possible, die in the place of their choice.
“At the moment, end-of-life care for cancer patients is patchy, meaning that in some areas of England thousands of people each year spend their final days in hospital when they would rather be at home. Others suffer from unnecessary pain and discomfort.
“Dying patients should be entitled to high quality personalised care, have their pain controlled and be supported to die in the place they wish. Help should extend to family and loved ones so they feel supported at an extremely difficult time.”
Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of Hospice UK, said: “There is much to be welcomed, especially the clear ambition to improve end-of-life care for everyone, through leadership, information, education and partnerships. Also, the call for end-of-life care to be mainstreamed into the transformation programmes under way within the health and care system.”
Professor Bee Wee, NHS England’s national clinical director for end-of-life care, said: “International comparisons rate the UK as the best country in the world for end-of-life care, and a recent survey again found that three-quarters of bereaved people rated the overall quality of care for their relative as good or better; however, there is clearly much more that can and must be done to ensure that all patients experience good quality care.
“NHS England welcomes the Government’s response to the Choice review and we will continue to work with them and others across the health service to improve quality and reduce variation.”
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