Guidelines published by the National Council for Palliative Care and the
National End of Life Care Programme state that family doctors should take
action to make sure the choices of the terminally ill are met.
It comes after claims that many people do not receive the best quality care at
the end of their lives, with thousands forced to see out their days in a
hospital bed rather than surrounded by loved ones at home.
Eve Richardson, chief executive of the National Council for Palliative Care
and the Dying Matters Coalition said: "Too many people towards the end of
their lives are being needlessly admitted to hospital against their wishes,
causing unnecessary pain and suffering.
"We only get once chance to get end of life care right for people who are
dying which is why commissioners must ensure high quality end of life care
and support is available for all those who need it, where and when they need
it."
The new report, published on Monday, states that end of life care accounts for
up to a fifth of NHS spending – some £20billion a year – but there is wide
variation in the services provided.
A recent Government review found that 90,000 terminally ill people are failing
to receive proper care as the amount spent by NHS managers on end-of-life
care varies so widely across England.
A patients’ charter, meanwhile, has suggested that dying people should set out clearly how they wish to be treated in their final days, spelling out for instance whether or not they wish to be resuscitated by medical staff.
The new guidelines claim that 70 per cent of people want like to die at home but more than half continue to die in hospitals, at great cost to the taxpayer, often after trips to A&E.
It is said that 20 people on every GP’s practice list are likely to die each year, so each surgery is told to keep an up-to-date register of those “approaching the end of life”.
The new Clinical Commissioning Groups, groups of GP practices which will buy treatment under the NHS from 2013, are told: “All people on the end of life care register should receive a holistic assessment of their care and support needs, which includes their carers’ needs assessment where appropriate.”
Anyone close to death should be given access to a palliative care co-ordinator, who can help them access social care and voluntary groups such as those that run hospices.
Each Clinical Commissioning Group is told to appoint a board member with responsibility for end of life care, and to build links with local councils and care homes.
They are also encouraged to work on “spiritual care, bereavement care and carers’ support” to help dying patients and their families.
A patients’ charter, meanwhile, has suggested that dying people should set out clearly how they wish to be treated in their final days, spelling out for instance whether or not they wish to be resuscitated by medical staff.
The new guidelines claim that 70 per cent of people want like to die at home but more than half continue to die in hospitals, at great cost to the taxpayer, often after trips to A&E.
It is said that 20 people on every GP’s practice list are likely to die each year, so each surgery is told to keep an up-to-date register of those “approaching the end of life”.
The new Clinical Commissioning Groups, groups of GP practices which will buy treatment under the NHS from 2013, are told: “All people on the end of life care register should receive a holistic assessment of their care and support needs, which includes their carers’ needs assessment where appropriate.”
Anyone close to death should be given access to a palliative care co-ordinator, who can help them access social care and voluntary groups such as those that run hospices.
Each Clinical Commissioning Group is told to appoint a board member with responsibility for end of life care, and to build links with local councils and care homes.
They are also encouraged to work on “spiritual care, bereavement care and carers’ support” to help dying patients and their families.
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