These national resources have been in rapid development and may change regularly as work progresses. The #pallicovid hashtag is also being used on twitter to rapidly share problems, solutions, information and resources.
Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines: COVID-19 Update (updated: 3 April)
Two new Covid-19 Guidelines have been added to the Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines. The new guidelines are for:
The standard end of life care guidelines should be used for all other situations.
A series of short practical films on relevant techniques and equipment to help professionals giving medicines has also been added and the COVID-19 pages also link helpfully to other key palliative and end of life care guidance and resources.
ACP for COVID-19
Healthcare Improvement Scotland is working with Scottish Government to produce COVID-19 ACP templates and guidance. Resources are here and include an Essential ACP Planning Guidance and Template. (This is also available via Guidelines site)
NHS Education Scotland has produced graphics and a film which support ACP. The resources cover 3 topics:
End of Life Care Toolkit
The Helix Centre have produced an End of Life Care Toolkit. This currently contains a short leaflet for the public on Practical Care for the Dying Person (not COVID-19 or pandemic specific). They have also produced a resource to train and support family/informal carers to administer As-needed Subcutaneous Medicines. This resource is not public-facing and the webpage should only be used by carers who have been identified and assessed as being suitable by healthcare teams. (also available via Guidelines site).
Learning pathway – COVID-19 End of Life Care (NHS Health Education England)
Some new documents and videos released as part of existing end of life care online training pathway. No need for log in.
EAPC Coronavirus and the Palliative Care Response
Webpage with resources and links to EAPC social media. Includes translations of resources used in Italy.
https://www.eapcnet.eu/publications/coronavirus-and-the-palliative-care-response
HIS/Death Certification Review Service - Guidance for completing COVID-19 related Medical Certificates of Cause of Death
ES Support After Death - Guidance on Confirmation of Death procedure
http://www.sad.scot.nhs.uk/atafter-death/confirmation-of-death/
Infection Prevention Society and British Association of Critical Care Nurses: Facilitating compassionate care for patients dying with COVID-19
https://cdn.ps.emap.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/IPS-Compassion-in-endoflife-care.pdf
End of Life Care in Frailty
The British Geriatrics Society have produced some guidance under the title End of Life Care in Frailty, which aims to prompt and support timely discussions about preferences for care, ideally at a time which facilitates the input of the older person themselves.
https://www.bgs.org.uk/resources/resource-series/end-of-life-care-in-frailty
Facilitating compassionate care for patients dying with COVID-19
The Infection Prevention Society and British Association of Critical Care Nurses have released a position statement about safe and compassionate approaches to allowing family members to be with a dying person at the end of life under the current pandemic conditions.