NHS Basildon and Brentwood CCG and Thurrock CCG are asking for local people’s views on what excellent end of life care should look like to help inform a new end of life strategy for people in south west Essex.
The new strategy will shape end of life services for local people from 2015.
Dr Anil Chopra, Chair, Basildon and Brentwood CCG said, “End of life care is a subject that inspires strong feelings in people, and it is something that people are now more willing to think about, discuss and plan for. There is more awareness of the profound impact that good quality end-of-life care can have on a patient and their family in the last days of life and after death. We want to make sure that all local people can have the same, excellent standard of care and that more people get the chance to choose how and where they die.”
The new strategy will build on the principles contained in the existing end of life strategy which defines the services that local people and their families should expect to receive, such as a care package designed around the individual and delivered at the patient’s preferred place of care, support for carers and the provision of bereavement services. The new strategy will seek to standardise end-of-life care and iron out any differences in service provision between different care providers.
Dr Anand Deshpande, Chair of Thurrock CCG, said, “Currently, the way people are cared for at the end of their lives can be quite varied depending on their location and medical condition. We want to make sure that everyone has access to the same high level of care and that people get the chance to choose how and where they die, whether it be in their home, in a hospital or a hospice. We want to enable people to enjoy their remaining days in the manner that they wish, with respect and dignity. It is important for us to hear local people’s views and their experiences, whether good or bad, so that we can work with all providers of care – to make sure that local people get the end of life care that they would choose.”
The end of life care survey can be found at www.basildonandbrentwoodccg.nhs.uk and www.thurrockccg.nhs.uk. The survey will be available from 26 March 2014 and close on 2 June 2014.
