News

SPPC response to HIS standards consultation

The SPPC has submitted a response to the recent Healthcare Improvement Scotland consultation on the draft Care of Older People in Hospital draft standards. The response can be viewed here: SPPC consultation response to HIS draft standards.

Winter lecture series

The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and Marie Curie present a new winter lecture series: Can death get any better? The lecture series will highlight ongoing challenges and unmet needs in death and dying.

In the opening lecture, Dr David Reilly, Director of the Wellness Enhancement Learning Programme, will explore Uniting love and skill in the art of human caring.

The February lecture will feature Dr Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care for NHS England speaking on the subject of Care for older people towards the end of life: tensions and challenges.

The lecture series closes with a lecture on Living and dying in very old age: the limits of choice by Professor Tony Walter, Director of the University of Bath Centre for Death & Society.

Full details of the lectures are below. To RSVP for any of these events please contact Susan Lowes at Marie Curie.

Uniting love and skill in the art of human caring

Dr David Reilly, Director of the Wellness Enhancement Learning and The Healing Shift Programmes.

Wednesday 21 January, 6pm, MacDonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh

Care for older people towards the end of life: tensions and challenges.

Dr Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care for NHS England

Wednesday 25 February, 6pm, The Lighthouse, Glasgow

Living and dying in very old age: the limits of choice

Professor Tony Walter, Director of the University of Bath Centre for Death & Society.

Wednesday 25 March, 6pm, MacDonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh

New Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines

New guidelines designed to improve the care of people with life limiting illnesses have been published.

Supported by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and Healthcare Improvement Scotland, the new Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines reflect expert opinion about good practice in the management of adult patients at the end of life. The guidelines provide practical, evidence-based or best-practice guidance on a range of common clinical issues including pain management, symptom control, palliative care emergencies, end of life care and use of medicines.

The new guidelines have been developed by a range of healthcare professionals from community, hospital and specialist palliative care services throughout Scotland and a key feature is the concerns and expectations not only of the patient but also their family and informal carers when providing palliative care. The guidelines involve a wider assessment of the patient to include psychological, social and spiritual needs as well as any physical symptom that may be present.

Speaking of the new guidelines, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Mr Alex Neil said: “Palliative care is an extremely important and sensitive area, and it’s essential that healthcare workers have all the support and guidance they need. These new guidelines give clear and practical advice to practitioners about how best to treat patients who have life limiting conditions or who may be approaching the end of their lives. They are designed to be helpful to both generalist and specialist staff who provide palliative care. A lot of work has been done with stakeholders to ensure that they are robust and measures have been put in place to ensure that they continue to be fit for purpose in the future.”

Healthcare Improvement Scotland Interim Director of Evidence and Technologies Sara Twaddle said: “Good palliative care is not just about supporting someone in the last stages of life, but about enhancing the quality of life for both patients and families at every stage of the disease process from diagnosis onwards. These guidelines, which have been developed in partnership with healthcare professionals from across Scotland, reflect a consensus of opinion about best practice and will enhance the quality of life for patients and their families.”

Mark Hazelwood, Chief Executive of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care, said “There may be only one chance to get care right for someone who is approaching the end of their natural life. These guidelines are a great resource for health and social care staff who are doing their utmost to provide great care in those circumstances.”

This guidance is complementary to Scottish Government Interim Guidance: Caring for people in the last days and hours of life.

The new guidelines can be viewed here: Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines.

New CPR guidance published

The British Medical Association, Royal College of Nursing and the Resuscitation Council (UK) have issued new joint guidance on making decisions about when to attempt cardio pulmonary resuscitation (trying to restart someone’s heart/breathing).

The new guidance can be accessed HERE. This Guidance updates previous editions published jointly in 2001 and 2007, both often referred to as the ‘Joint Statement’.

Everyone’s heart and breathing stops when they reach the end of their natural life. To allow a peaceful and dignified death it is important to identify people for whom CPR won’t work or would not be wanted, so that painful, undignified, intrusive and pointless efforts to resuscitate during the person’s last moments of life are avoided.

The UK guidance and Scottish policy aim to support this process and also to ensure that patients and families are involved in choices about their care. The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care welcomes the new guidance and the planned review of Scottish policy.