Workforce Development and Training: Exploring barriers to a universal approach to End of Life Care

Healthwatch Staffordshire, Wolverhampton and Walsall explored workforce development and training needs across end-of-life care services. The study found that delivering high-quality end-of-life care requires a broad range of skills, including advanced communication, emotional resilience, knowledge of advance care planning, cultural awareness, psychological support skills and the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams. 

The report identified several major barriers affecting the workforce, including difficulties recruiting and retaining specialist staff, increasing clinical workloads, limited funding for training, and a lack of time and resources to release staff for development opportunities. Staff shortages were seen as a particular challenge, placing additional pressure on existing teams and reducing capacity to undertake training. 

The research also highlighted weaknesses in communication and information-sharing systems between organisations involved in end-of-life care. While electronic care coordination systems had improved communication, they were not fully integrated across health, social care and other services. The report suggested that stronger multidisciplinary working and better shared systems would improve care coordination and patient experiences. 

Overall, the report concluded that workforce pressures are a significant risk to the sustainability of end-of-life care services. Recommendations included improving shared information systems, expanding practical training in communication, spiritual care and resilience, ensuring staff can be released for development opportunities, and exploring new models of care that make greater use of volunteers and partnership working to support the specialist workforce.