End of life care is based on the likelihood that the patient will pass away within 12 months. The sensitivity and delicateness of this situation presents GP Practices a unique opportunity to render both guidance and help, at the most trying time of a human’s life. Therefore GPs need to adopt multidisciplinary approaches by sharing information and working with other medical specialists also.
The Leadership Alliance for Care Of Dying People has suggested 5 guidelines by which GPs need to operate, irrespective of where the patient is cared for in a hospital, home or elsewhere as chosen by the patient.
- The GP should clearly communicate the likelihood of death within a short time period, to the Patient. In so doing GPs must review the needs of the Patient constantly which may vary due to the fragility of physical and mental health.
- Sensitivity and apt communication techniques need to be adopted by GP Staff who are responsible for delivering news of the Patient’s health situation to family and relatives. Accordingly staff should be trained on adopting a person-centred approach parallel to developing interpersonal skills.
- Involve both the patient and family in the decision making process, in relation to where the care will be given whilst also taking into account their wishes on preferred place of death etc. The CQC will require statistics on the number of patients who passed away in their preferred location.
- Concurrent to above GPs are also required to respect and regard the wishes of the family and people closest to the dying patient. As such the Practice needs to be able to support the family throughout the care period all the way through to bereavement.
- It is also imperative for GPs to move away from a cookie-cutter methodology when rendering end of life care. As such customised care plans need to be developed, unique to each patient and their requirements.
