National end of life care audit shows progress at Gloucestershire Hospitals
Gloucestershire Hospitals is continuing its work to improve care for patients who die in hospital through participation in the National Audit of Care at the End of Life (NACEL).
NACEL is an annual national quality improvement programme that reviews the care provided to people who die in hospital. It helps organisations understand how well they support patients, families and carers during a patient's final hospital admission, while identifying opportunities to improve care and learn from best practice.
The audit examines several aspects of care, including recognising when a patient is dying, symptom management, communication with patients and families, documentation of care preferences and support for bereaved relatives. It also looks at whether individual needs relating to faith, culture, language and personal beliefs are recognised and respected.
By taking part in NACEL, Gloucestershire Hospitals can compare its services against national standards, identify areas of good practice and continue improving the support provided to patients and those close to them.
The latest NACEL results show overall improvement against the Trust's end of life care improvement plan. Examples of improvements highlighted through the audit include the introduction of an electronic patient record (EPR) Last Days of Life Care Plan, commissioning a specialist end of life nursing education programme delivered by Sue Ryder, and improved recording of spiritual care involvement.
Our Specialist Palliative Care Team works closely with colleagues across Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital to support patients with life-limiting illness and those approaching the end of life. While the team is not resourced to provide a seven-day face-to-face service, specialist palliative care advice is available to healthcare professionals on an on-call basis 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This helps ensure clinical teams can access expert advice whenever it is needed.
The SWAN Model of Care
As part of its commitment to high-quality end of life and bereavement care, the Trust has also embedded the nationally recognised SWAN Model of Care. SWAN stands for Sign, Words, Actions and Needs. The model promotes dignity, respect and compassion for patients who are dying and for the people who matter most to them. It is recognised nationally as an example of best practice and has been adopted by healthcare organisations across the UK.
The model is introduced when a patient is recognised to be dying and encourages staff to consider every aspect of a person's care and experience. Alongside physical care, it supports attention to emotional, spiritual, cultural and practical needs, helping families feel informed, involved and supported.
At Gloucestershire Hospitals, SWAN is supported by a network of SWAN Ambassadors who champion the approach across our wards. They help raise awareness, support colleagues and share learning to ensure compassionate care is embedded throughout the organisation.
The SWAN approach brings together a wide range of staff and services, including specialist palliative care, medical and nursing teams, spiritual care, bereavement services, mortuary staff, tissue donation specialists, porters and volunteers. Working together in this way helps ensure patients and families receive joined-up support before, during and after death.
"These results are encouraging and reflect the hard work of teams across our hospitals to improve care for patients who die in our care and for the families and loved ones supporting them."
Samantha White, Clinical Lead for Specialist Palliative Care
Sam continues, "NACEL helps us understand where we are making a difference and where we need to do more. The improvements highlighted in this year's audit show the value of investing in staff education, improving our digital systems and strengthening the support available to patients and families.
"The SWAN Model of Care has become an important part of how we care for people who are dying in our hospitals. It helps staff focus on the individual, what matters to them and how we can support those close to them. Our SWAN Ambassadors play a key role in supporting colleagues and helping to ensure dignity, kindness and compassion remain at the heart of every patient's care.”
Participation in NACEL and the continued development of the SWAN Model of Care reflect the Trust's commitment to learning from experience and continually improving care for patients who die in our hospitals, while supporting those important to them before and after death.
Support
Anyone affected by news about bereavement or end of life care can access links to bereavement support via YourCircle