Case study:

11 May 2010

Educational approach to care homes (nursing) in Lancashire and South Cumbria

Key points

Care homes (nursing) staff in Lancashire and South Cumbria are getting the chance to go on a free 2.5-day course designed to improve their communication skills when discussing end of life issues with residents.

The enhanced communication skills course – financed by the Big Lottery Fund – is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Preferred Place of Care Project, which began in 2005 and aims to ensure people die where they wish to by encouraging end of life discussions and an advance care plan between residents, carers and professionals.

The need for the course became apparent after a survey showed that around 70% of district nurses deliberately changed or avoided the subject when conversations turned to dying.

Although the survey was of district nurses, the results were felt to be relevant to care home staff.

As a result Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Network arranged to put on interactive workshops for staff to learn specific communication skills and strategies as well as exploring why they often feel uncomfortable about tackling these issues.

So far 10 courses, provided by Cancer Help, Preston and the University of Central Lancashire, have taken place with another 25 planned during 2007.

Student evaluations have been very positive with most saying the course has boosted their self-confidence.

As one senior nurse said: ‘Following the course I had more confidence in the skills I realised I already had, as well as the ones I had learnt.’

Meanwhile North Lancashire and Blackpool PCTs have organised free courses for nursing home care staff on palliative and end of life care topics.

The sessions used to cost £60 each.

They also appointed an educational care facilitator to work exclusively with nursing homes for at least a year.