End of life care services
Download (PDF 713.69 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch North Lincolnshire and Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire undertook research into end of life care services. 14 people took part in the interviews, and at least eight people took part in focus groups, which were held between June and August 2022.
Since the introduction of the new end of life strategy, services have been slow to embed the new systems and processes. This has led to an inconsistent approach to end of life care across Northern Lincolnshire, and the findings of the report have indicated a mixed experience of end of life care.
The report found that communication seems to be a major stumbling block for service users and their families. When communication is effective and everyone who is involved in the process knows what is happening and the wishes of the service user are taken into account, the process runs smoothly. When communication is not effective, service users feel they have been abandoned and pressure is put on the family, sometimes leaving them feeling unsupported and ‘lost’ in the system.
For those service users and their families where the documents were completed in a timely manner and ReSPECT documentation was used, the End of Life process was easier than for those where this documentation was not in place.
The report also found that some unpaid carers/family members felt alone, isolated, and unsure of what to do when their loved one had died.
The findings show that overall, the agencies involved in end of life care have treated the service user, family and unpaid carers with sensitivity, care and dignity.
However, some patient experiences suggest this has not always been the case if a patient has had to access a hospital service that is not caring directly for their terminal illness. The report recommends that clinical and care staff should be made aware that the service user is nearing end of life and care should be taken to treat the patient with sensitivity and ensure that extra measures are taken to keep them comfortable.
In total, the report contains six recommendations.
Healthwatch North and North East Lincolnshire will monitor the progress of the end of life Strategy and how it is working in practice.
The report will be sent to the End of Life Strategy Lead.