We want to ensure that when a patient and their families are facing a life limiting illness that we support the wishes of the patients and plan their care well in advance.
At Chiswick Medical Practice we will ensure that patients have a usual doctor allocated and will organise care as much as possible with that GP. We will also work to ensure that patients are seen regularly by this GP (minimum of monthly face to face or online) in addition to the Palliative care and support received from the local teams. This will ensure that we can sign death certificates for patients.
What is end of life care and palliative care?
Palliative care or end of life care is care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease, such as cancer. Palliative care is an approach to care that addresses the person as a whole, not just their disease. The goal is to prevent or treat, as early as possible, the symptoms and side effects of the disease and its treatment, in addition to any related psychological, social, and spiritual problems.
End of life care covers the care received by people who are likely to die in the next 12 months, as well as care in the last days and hours of life, and care after death, including bereavement support for families and loved ones.
Useful Information
Urgent Care Plan
A care plan is created following a conversation between a healthcare professional (such as a doctor or nurse) and the person in their care.
Throughout the conversation, the healthcare professional will listen, understand and make notes on:
- What is important to the person in their day-to-day life
- Their preferences or wishes about their care
- What support they need and who is best placed to provide this
- Information about others who may be involved in that person’s care, such as relatives
The care plan is then created following this conversation using the Urgent Care Plan. As soon as information is saved on the plan, it is visible to all health and care services who use it.
This includes the London Ambulance Service, 111 and Out of Hours GP services who may see the person in an emergency.
Urgent Care Plan patient leaflet
For more information on the Urgent Care Plan for London, click on the links below:
Urgent Care Plan for London
Planning for your care – the urgent care plan and what it means for patients and health professionals (North West London)
Urgent Care Plan Patient Information Leaflet
Urgent Care Plan privacy statement
Advanced Care planning
Advance care planning is:
- A voluntary process of discussion and review to help an individual who has capacity to anticipate how their condition may affect them in the future and, if they wish, set on record choices about their care and treatment.
- A key means of improving care for people nearing the end of life and of enabling better planning and provision of care, to help them live well and die well in the place and the manner of their choosing. It enables people to discuss and record their future health and care wishes and also to appoint someone as an advocate or surrogate, thus making the likelihood of these wishes being known and respected at the end of life.
By thinking ahead, discussing with others and writing things down, the patient’s wishes are known and respected, and patients are more likely to receive the care they wish in the place of their choice if they become unwell, or are no longer able to speak for themselves.
The main goal is to clarify people’s wishes, needs and preferences and deliver care to meet these needs (The Gold Standards Framework). More information for patient’s and carers can be found on the
Gold Standard Framework website
For more information on advance care planning and personalising palliative and end of life care, click on the links below:
Personalised Palliative and Support Planning
Helpful Resources
Information after death
Useful information following a death
London Borough of Hounslow
London Borough of Richmond
Teddington Memorial Hospital
Mulberry Centre
