Hospice backs end of life care report

The Luton based Hospice provided evidence for the report to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which today published new guidance entitled: Care of dying adults in the last days of life.

The guidance aims to address many of the concerns raised by the independent review of the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) and gives a framework for healthcare professionals to provide people with the best possible care in their last days of life. The LCP was phased out in July 2014

Commenting on the new guidance, Liz Searle, Acting Chief Executive at Keech Hospice Care, said: “We have been waiting for and welcome the NICE guidance and have provided evidence to the Institute to help shape what has been released today.

“We believe palliative and end of life care is a priority for everybody, particularly Commissioners who are responsible for funding services to ensure people who need it get the care they deserve at a time in their lives they need it most.

“As leaders in our field, Keech Hospice Care provides end of life care for adults across Luton and South Bedfordshire and children from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

“We only receive 30% of our funding through Government sources.

“We rely on our community and its fundraising activities for the remaining 70% and we could not provide the vital services and care needed to the quality and standard required without this.

“At Keech, we are committed to always providing individual care as agreed with our patients and their families.

“We agree with NICE that a tick box approach is not suitable when there is only once chance to get things right for patients and their loved ones.”