Successful end of life care extended ?

Not good news for patients with heart conditions. The Liverpool Care Pathway was first developed for cancer patients and to begin with it was considered inappropriate to apply the procedures to patients with other kinds of health problems. Although the Liverpool Care Pathway is being `phased out`, palliative care and other similar pathways are still firmly on the agenda and the net is widening to include more patients.

If we remember that palliative care involves `Do not resuscitate notices`, no antibiotics or other treatments, no food or water, syringe drivers, a chat with the family and ultimate death the language used below is astounding. Why should this be called helping heart patients? Why should the project be called a fantastic example? How can dead patients show they appreciate anything? Isn`t the use of hyperbole actually covering up what is really going on?

A unique partnership between Marie Curie Cancer Care, British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde has been extended after helping more than 230 patients in the advanced stages of heart failure. 

"Caring Together is a fantastic example of what can be done to improve end of life care for those patients with more complex care requirements."

The Caring Together programme, which aims to improve the quality and access to palliative care for any patients in the advanced stages of heart failure, is set to continue for a further 18 months.

Since launching in March 2011, the programme has helped more than 230 patients and their families and has been key in allowing these patients to stay in their preferred place of care and avoid hospital admissions where possible.

Every patient referred to the programme receives a comprehensive assessment of their palliative care needs, a review of their cardiological management, and the allocation of a care manager who coordinates and manages the care for these patients.

The programme makes sure that heart failure patients with supportive care needs have access to advice, support and services, including benefits and hospice day services, at an appropriate time in the progression and deterioration of their illness.

Marjory Burns, Director of BHF Scotland, added: "Caring Together is an innovative programme for patients with advanced heart failure that supports the Scottish Government's action plan for palliative care services, Living and Dying Well, which calls for a more equitable provision of end of life care services for patients with any advanced, progressive or incurable condition across all care settings. This partnership is showing the way in terms of a service that patients and their families really appreciate."

http://www.ehospice.com/uk/en-gb/home.aspx