End of life care 'must be personalised'
Age UK has welcomed the Government's decision to stop a controversial end of life practice.
An independent review found that Liverpool Care Pathway will be phased out.
The lives of more than 130,000 people a year are ended in this way, which usually involves heavy sedation and in some cases the withdrawal of food and water.
The review - chaired by crossbench peer Baroness Julia Neuberger - found the LCP had become a “tick box” exercise, which failed to take the individual patient’s circumstances into account.
Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director General of
Age UKsaid:
“Problems with implementation of the Liverpool Care Pathway and the resulting lack of trust meant it was unable to secure its aim of improving care at the end of life, a crucial issue to all of us and one which has historically been neglected.
“This experience must be used to inform our health and care services in developing an integrated approach that ensures people are treated with compassion and dignity at the end of their lives, whether they be at home, in a residential setting or hospital.”
Care Minister Norman Lamb said: “We hope the actions we have taken today will reassure patients and their families that everyone coming to the end of their life is getting the best possible care and that concerns are being dealt with swiftly.
“I have personally heard families describe staff slavishly following a process without care or compassion and leaving people suffering at the end of their lives. This is something we cannot allow to go on.”
Within 12 months LCP will be phased out and replaced with individual end-of-life care plan.
