Posted 15 October 2015 - 12:46
Posted 15 October 2015 - 12:46
News
Access to community nurses providing palliative care must improve, says Department of Health
The Department of Health has published a response to a health select committee report into end of life care.
Access to community nurses providing general palliative care must improve to allow people being cared for outside of hospital to get 24/7 end of life care, according to the Department of Health (DH).
The DH has today published its response to a health select committee report into end of life care.
The committee’s report highlighted the importance of around the clock access to general and specialist palliative care.
For this to become a reality, access to and availability of the former, provided by GPs and community nurses, and the latter must improve, the DH said.
Their response said the department is exploring the best ways to achieve this with NHS England.
The committee’s report, which was published in March, recommended that all staff providing end of life care should receive training in advance care planning, including knowing what options are available to patients.
The DH said Health Education England has reviewed end of life care training and that it will be promoting the best education and training resources identified by the review.
To read the DH response, click here.