Joined up approach to improve experience of end of life care for patients and families

A new plan to make life better for local people requiring specialist care at the end of their lives has been awarded funding by the BSW Partnership.

The plan looks to improve the choices and care provided for people over the age of 18 and their families requiring palliative and end of life care across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW).

The plan has been developed by a group chaired by Dorothy House, Prospect and Salisbury hospices with membership that includes hospitals and community providers, GPs, local authorities, commissioners, voluntary sector organisations and independent health and care providers.

A Vision for Enhanced Palliative and End of Life Care outlines recommendations to build on the good work already in place across the health and care system. The strategy lays out a plan for equitable, sustainable, cost efficient and outcome driven end of life care services fit for the current and future needs of local people.

It will tackle current gaps and discrepancies in services currently experienced across BSW and improve the way patients are referred to specialist end of life care.

The strategy also looks to improve access to end of life care and equipment, encourages closer working between end of life care services and GP surgeries, and aims to do more to be able to meet individual patient’s wishes.

Wayne de Leeuw, Chief Executive of Dorothy House and one of the report’s authors said end of life care was a core part of the local health and care system and better outcomes for patients and families could be delivered through a more collaborative approach.

“At the heart of our work is ensuring that every conversation with a person requiring end of life care starts with the question: “What matters to you?” It will be an enormous challenge but, if we can collectively deliver care that meets that most fundamental of needs, then we will truly be delivering personalised care.

“Through closer collaborative work from local health and social care providers and three hospices, we can lead the development of a BSW wide approach for end of life care and take collective responsibility and accountability for the management of resources to improve outcomes for people at the end of their life.”

Find out more: You can read A Vision for Enhanced Palliative and End of Life Care across the BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Integrated Care System (ICS) here. A Vision for Enhanced Palliative and End of Life Care