Why is end of life care important?
Over ten thousand people die in South West London each year, leaving on average nine people each bereaved. End of life care is defined as care for those identified to be within the last 12 months of life as well as support for their family, friends and carers.
Each person is affected by death and dying at some point in their lives, and ensuring excellent care and support for those that need it is crucial. Through various programmes across South West London, we support people by early identification, assessment and treatment of pain and other distressing symptoms, while integrating the psychological, social and spiritual aspects of the person’s care as well as supporting those left bereaved.
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The end of life care programme
The End of life care programme works to improve end of life care services by implementing the End of Life Care Ambitions Framework in South West London.
The Ambitions Framework 2021 – 2026 aims to make sure people living with advanced, progressive and life-limiting illness have the best possible experience of care throughout their remaining life and in death, and that those who are caring and bereaved are supported. This is achieved by making sure that:
- Each person is seen as an individual
- Each person gets fair access to care
- Maximising comfort and wellbeing
- Care is coordinated
- All staff are prepared to care
- Each community is prepared to help
Some of the building blocks that support these ambitions are:
- Integrated care
- Bereavement support
- Population based needs assessment
- Priorities for care of the dying person
- Using existing data
- Shared records
- Continuity in partnership
- Professional ethos
- Using new technology
- Skilled assessment and symptom management
- Compassionate communities and volunteers
End of life care workstreams
Find out more about South West London’s key end of life care workstreams and their planned outcomes below.
Compassionate communities
- A population-based approach to end of life care and bereavement.
- Increased identification of bereaved people and increased acknowledgement and signposting to bereavement support services.
- Read about bereavement services in South West London and find support near you.
Planned and unplanned care
- An increased identification of the number of people who have a palliative care needs, and a reduction in variation across South West London.
- Read and download the Early ID Toolkit.
Digital innovations
- The use of digital innovation to amplify the voices of caregivers, patients, and staff
- The care planning service, previously provided by Coordinate My Care, is being replaced in London by the Urgent Care Plan.
- Find out more about the Urgent Care Plan for London.
Workforce
- 100% of provider organisations have completed quality assurance processes to enable staff confidence and competence in documenting Advance Care Planning and DNACPR.