Case study:

07 September 2007

Using end of life care tools in the nursing care home – a developing model for education and sustainability in Salford and Trafford PCTs

Key points

Facilitators in Salford and Trafford PCTs have developed a training model that is helping staff in nursing care homes make effective use of end of life care tools.

The initial pilot study in three care homes demonstrated that the three end of life care tools complement each other.

But it also showed that successful implementation depended on motivated and skilled change agents and a model of education and sustainability to ensure best use of time and resources.

Applying these lessons, the team of trainers has since helped to introduce the end of life care tools in another five care homes with a further 22 scheduled to receive similar training and support between 2007-12.

As a result of the programme, an audit showed, staff feel more confident about advanced care planning and delivering effective symptom control.

The challenge for the team has been coordinating and delivering repeated training sessions to ensure that all care home staff are targeted, and developing a working model to provide ongoing support to care home champions.

Plans are under way to roll out end of life care tools across Salford and Trafford nursing care homes using the locally developed training model.

The team also wants to forge closer links with secondary care and to monitor the number of care home residents being admitted to hospital at the very end of life as well as the processes that lead to admission.