End of Life Care
We are clear about our responsibility in shaping and developing end of life care across Calderdale and Huddersfield to reduce inequality and deliver better outcomes so that people approaching the end of their life and their families are fully supported by high quality services.
Our Living Well and Dying Well End of Life Care Strategy outlines our commitments through to 2021.
End of life care is aimed at offering comfort and support when active treatment of reversible conditions has become ineffective or burdensome. To a layperson, end of life care might mean the last hours or days of someone’s life, but the GMC (General Medical Council) defines it as the ‘last year of life’.
Caring for a person who is in the last days of their life is one of the most important responsibilities for any health or social care professional.
The care must be individualised, and take account of the person’s needs and wishes, and those of people who are close to them.
End of life care helps the supportive and palliative care needs of both patient and family to be identified and met throughout the last phase of life and into bereavement. It is underpinned by
· Anticipation and management of deterioration in the patient’s condition
· Advance care planning in accordance with patient preferences about place of care and death (for example, if a patient doesn’t wish to die in hospital)
· Effective coordination of care across all teams and providers of care who are involved in the care of patients and their family.
Feedback from families:
"From my observations the doctor have lost a lot formality that used to surround them. This is a huge step forward. I feel it breaks down barriers and that can only be for the good."
"The staff were very charming and loving but they do need more staff to cover the ward."
"We would often find a nurse beside his bed comforting him when we arrived. Again understanding passionate care."
Care of the dying patient
Care of the dying patient is the care of the patient and family in the last hours and days of life. It incorporates four key areas of care: physical, psychological, social and spiritual and supports the family at this time and into bereavement.
Use of an individualised care plan whether in a hospital ward, at home, or in the hospice, allows doctors and nurses to deliver appropriate care to patients who are dying, through sensitive communication, symptom management, and meeting all care needs.
The care plan we use in CHFT is called the Individualised Care of the Dying Document (ICODD) and staff will be happy to discuss this with you. An information leaflet about the care your loved one will receive is available, and a comfort bag containing items you may find useful will be offered to you (see below).
Comfort Bags feedback received in 2019
"It was a wonderful idea given at exactly the right moment! The contents were perfect, mum loved the fan. Thank you."
"The bag was very thoughtful and contents are all useful, thank you and keep up the good work"
"These unexpected touches are very comforting at this awful time. Thank you so much"
"I very much appreciated the comfort bag, it is lovely to know that someone cares, I felt very supported."
"Nice touch – essential touch."
"These are the last things you think of at this hard time. Greatly appreciate the kind thought. Thank you"
