National Audit Office End of Life Care Report

This report includes a section on health and social care staff skills and training

Download End of Life Care (accessed 11/05/11)

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National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) Report: Caring to the End?

This National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death report highlights the process of care of patients who died in acute hospitals within four days of admission. It takes a critical look at areas where the care of patients might have been improved – including communication skills training.

Download Caring to the End? (accessed 11/05/11)

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Listening and Learning. The ombudsman report of complaint handling by the NHS in England 2009-10.

Third report of the Health Service Commissioner for England, which presents a national picture from the Ombudsman of what happens when mistakes occur and the NHS fails to put things right

Download Listening and Learning (accessed 11/05/11)

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Care and Compassion? Report of the Health Service Ombudsman on ten investigations into NHS care of older people

Fourth report of the Health Service Commissioner for England Session 2010-2011.

View or download Care and Compassion? (accessed 11/05/11)

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Dying for Change

This pamphlet from Demos argues that training in palliative care needs to be much more widespread among doctors, nurses and care home staff at large. Too few doctors, nurses and care home staff are ready to have open conversations with people about the prospect of death and how they want to die.

Download _Dying for Change (accessed 11/05/11)

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OPCARE9

OPCARE9 was an international collaboration of nine partner countries with the aim of optimising research for the care of cancer patients in the last days of life. It reported in March 2011.

It has systematically investigated current practice across a range of healthcare environments and diverse cultures in order to reach consensus on optimum care to be delivered.

One of the work packages (WP2) focussed on end of life decisions. The literature review and Delphi study, identified the need for more research to determine the best communication strategies to facilitate these discussions. Download the poster and abstract below.

Find out more about OPCARE9 (accessed 11/05/11)