How working together can improve end of life care

‘Working together-improving end of life care’ is a training pack produced in partnership with unpaid carers and practitioners across the social care, health, voluntary and private sectors to look at how working together can improve end of life care.

The ‘Working together-improving end of life care’ training pack aims to increase understanding of the importance of working together when supporting people at the end of their lives. It’s based around a set of key messages to help individuals work in a more integrated way and support their learning.

This work was steered in partnership between Skills for Care, Skills for Health, and the National Council for Palliative Care.

Like any good care and support, working with someone at the end of their lives means creating a team of people around the individual, and working together to meet the priorities, needs and wishes of the person. The training pack covers key messages which together build a pyramid of how people can work together to improve end of life care.

1. Listen to the person and their carers; create opportunities for them to express their views and concerns. Understand how their culture and lifestyle affects their choices and how they wish to be treated.

2. Care plans are developed around the stated priorities of the person, kept up-to-date, and shared across the care and support team. Goals are clear, roles understood, and there is a named co-ordinator.

3. Information important to the person’s care and support is shared as appropriate and up-to-date. Everyone including the person and their carers, knows and understands about changes and how they affect the care plan.

4. Value and understand everyone’s role and contribution (the person, their family and carers, colleagues).

5. Support each other (the person, their family and carers, colleagues), listen, share expertise, be comfortable asking for support or information.

6. Use ordinary language and speak in ways that are easily understood, taking account of the situation and the person you’re talking to.

Have a look at the pyramid and key messages in more detail.

The training pack includes:

• A short film ‘It helps to talk’ – this film, although fictitious, is based on real experiences people have had. It follows someone at the end of their life and the learning from how their care was handled.
• A powerpoint presentation and facilitator guidance.
• A key messages handout.
• Interactive PDF covering ‘Practical messages for front line workers’.

Find the training pack on our end of life care webpage.

Dying Matters Awareness Week takes places on 8-14 May. This annual awareness week aims to open up discussion about death, dying and grief.

Find out more about working together through integrated health and care with our #UnderstandingIntegration spotlight.

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