This section includes the following subsections:
Around half a million people in England die each year, and the care provided to these people, and their families and carers, forms a significant proportion of the workload for many health, social care, and voluntary sector staff. However, too often care for this vulnerable/important group is not coordinated effectively across the different service providers, and is not designed around people’s expressed wishes and preferences about their care.
In response to these challenges, the government has put in place a number of initiatives to improve care for people at the end of life. These include: the development of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Guidance for supportive and palliative care (2004); the National End of Life Care Programme, which emerged from Building on the Best (DH, 2003); work to develop a national End of Life Care Strategy; and the NHS Next Stage Review launched in ‘Our NHS, our future’ (DH 2007). The principal aim of these initiatives is to bring about a step change in access to high quality care for all adults approaching the end of life, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, religious belief, diagnosis or care setting, and which respects each individual’s needs and preferences.
Ten principal objectives to deliver these improvements in end of life care have been identified through the work on the development of the End of Life Care Strategy:
To further support this national agenda, the National End of Life Care Programme Team has developed ‘Making change happen’. The purpose of this resource is to share innovative examples of practice in end of life care that have been implemented across the country. This guide contains examples relating to service delivery, workforce development, and care in different settings, as well as other areas which will be of use to clinicians, commissioners, managers and others involved in service provision.
We would like to thank all those who have shared their practice examples and also thank all who have contributed to making this resource such a success in raising the profile and quality of care for people at the end of life.
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| Prof Mike Richards | Chair End of Life Care Strategy Advisory Board | |
| National Cancer Director, Department of Health |
This executive summary outlines the key areas addressed by the End of Life Care Strategy published by the Department of Health in July 2008.
(Department of Health, July 2008)
In July 2008 the Department of Health published the End of life care strategy - promoting high quality care for all adults at the end of life. This report sets out progress over the first year.
(Department of Health, 14 July 2009)
Letter from Professor Mike Richards, Chair of End of Life Care Strategy Advisory Board about the progress being made in developing a strategy for end of life care to meet the health and social care needs and preferences of all adult patients about where they live and die.
(Department of Health, 8 February 2007)
This strategy, published just after the 60th birthday of the NHS, represents an important milestone for health and social care. It is the first comprehensive framework aimed at promoting high quality care across the country for all adults approaching the end of life.
(Department of Health, July 2008)
Department of Health website page with numerous documents relating to the launch of the End of Life Care Strategy in July 2008.
(Department of Health, 16 July 2008)
Ministers have decided to publish the national EoLC strategy in parallel with Lord Darzi’s NHS Next Stage Review final report scheduled for June 2008.
(Department of Health / End of Life Care Strategy Advisory Board, 15 November 2007)
What the End of Life Care Strategy means for patients and carers - July 2008.
(Department of Health, 16 July 2008)
This document summarises the benefits to patients in England of implementing the End of Life Care Strategy.
(Department of Health, July 2008)
The advisory board members to support the development of the end of life care strategy for adults announced
(Department of Health, 26 January 2007)
Professor Mike Richard's PowerPoint presentation on the End of Life Care Strategy.
(Department of Health, 16 July 2008)
