Contacts
Contact:
Julie Brown
Home manager
Organisation:
Four Seasons Health Care
Belmont Grange Care Home Broomside Lane Belmont Durham DH1 2QW United Kingdom
Tel:
0191 3849853
Case study:
12 March 2009
Implementing the Liverpool Care Pathway in the care home environment at Belmont Grange
Key points
- Most residents at Belmont Grange are now dying at the care home following implementation of the Liverpool Care Pathway
- A recent audit showed 25 out of 31 residents died at Belmont. Previously most died in hospital.
Most residents at Belmont Grange nursing and residential care home are now spending their last days in the home following implementation of the Liverpool Care Pathway. Belmont Grange, which is part of Four Seasons Health Care, currently looks after 27 residents aged 65 and over needing either general nursing or residential care.
An audit of the new approach shows that between April 2006 and October 2008 25 out of 31 residents who died during that period remained at Belmont Grange as their chosen place of care, one was transferred to the hospice according to her wishes and five died in hospital following acute admission. Previously most residents had died in hospital.
The initial decision to implement the Liverpool Care Pathway came after the home was approached by the regional end of life coordinator who believed person-centred care in the last days of life would benefit the home’s residents. It was also agreed that all residents, not just cancer sufferers, must have this opportunity.
An initial assessment took place to ensure the home was able to meet the current and anticipated needs of the resident while a standardised LCP audit identified areas for development. Following this a team building exercise was conducted to promote staff awareness of residents’ needs.
The home linked with the PCT palliative care training programme while staff development was identified at regular staff supervisions and supported by in-house training. The home also bought in extra equipment such as syringe drivers, profiling beds, pressure relieving mattresses.
Closer links were established with service providers who could meet individual needs at particular points of the care pathway. This included GPs, care managers, PCT nurse assessors, the Four Seasons health care pharmacy provider, Boots the Chemist, spiritual leaders and funeral directors.
It was also important to reassure relatives and carers that 24-hour access to facilities would be available to them and the home would keep in regular contact and support them in all decision-making during the end of life period.
As a result of the new approach all staff now feel empowered and acknowledge they have a role in residents’ care provision and delivery.
Residents are even being referred by multi-professional care teams from St. Cuthbert’s Hospice to Belmont for admission.
Plans for the future include taking on other end of life care pathways as well as advance care planning and Kite guidelines. It is also hoped to secure commissioned palliative care beds and further develop the staff training programme.
Back to top