Contacts
Contact:
Jo Wilson
Team LeaderSupportive and Palliative Care
Organisation:
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Old Social Work Building London Road Reading RG1 5AN United Kingdom
Tel:
0118 3225111
0118 3227826 (direct)
Email:
Case study:
11 May 2010
Care of the deceased adult protocol in the Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust
Key points
- The Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust has introduced a new protocol for the care of adult patients once they have died
- The protocol seeks to respect religious and cultural beliefs and ensure a smooth transition to the care arranged by the family for disposal of the deceased patient
- The policy has led to more consistent practice and bodies arriving at the mortuary with less leakage of body fluids
- There are also clear processes for addressing any concerns surrounding the death.
Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust has introduced a new protocol for the care of patients from the moment of their death until the body leaves the trust.
The protocol respects cultural and religious beliefs as well as meeting legal requirements.
It seeks to ensure a smooth transition to the care arranged by the family for disposal of the deceased patient and to protect the patient’s property.
It also minimises the risk to staff from infection, radiological and electrical hazards.
Before the new policy was introduced there was a wide variety of differing practices in laying out adult patients who had died and some arrived in the mortuary with significant leakages of body fluid.
Although it has yet to be formally audited, the new policy is already having an impact.
Bodies are said to be arriving at the mortuary with less leakage of body fluids because nurses know how to lay them out.
Practice is also more consistent and there are clear processes for addressing any concerns surrounding the death.
New staff have regular teaching sessions about the policy.
All nurses are invited to visit the mortuary and some have visited undertakers to understand better the processes of care after death.
One of the most important teaching points is learning about the transition from caring for a person who is alive to caring for them differently once they have died.
One challenge has been access to medical education, but this has been overcome by identifying a consultant linked to education who has an interest in end of life care.
The protocol takes a multidisciplinary approach and is overseen by an End of Life Governance Group chaired by the director of nursing and accountable to the trust board.
The group members include the medical director, deputy director of nursing, palliative care team leader, chaplaincy, pathology, mortuary and pathways manager.
There are plans to audit all undertakers in the area to find out how the changes have affected practice.
Nursing staff will also be asked for their opinions about the policy.
In addition the palliative care team will conduct a review of the policy at 18-month intervals.
Back to top