1. ‘The right healthcare, for you, with you, near you’ End of Life Care Snapshot of 2015-16 National Publications

2. Dying without dignity 20 May 2015 The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman investigated complaints about end of life care and issued a report. The short report features 12 cases that illustrate the issues they regularly see in their casework on end of life care. The examples represent a diverse collection of powerful stories, drawn from a range of different health care settings. http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/rep orts-and- consultations/reports/health/dying- without-dignityhttp://www.ombudsman.org.uk/rep orts-and- consultations/reports/health/dying- without-dignity

3. What we know now 2014 26 June 2015 The National End of Life Care Intelligence Network published a new report, the third in a series. The report shows a growing understanding within the health sector of what is important to people at the end of life and confirms that the number of people dying at home and in care homes continues to rise. http://www.endoflifecare- intelligence.org.uk/resources/publi cations/what_we_know_now_201 4http://www.endoflifecare- intelligence.org.uk/resources/publi cations/what_we_know_now_201 4

4. Results of the 2014 National Survey of Bereaved People 10 July 2015 The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published their 2014 report for the annual National Survey of Bereaved People (VOICES). Focuses on the quality of care delivered in the last 3 months of life for adults who died in England, including variations between different parts of the country and for different groups of patients. http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopu lationandcommunity/healthandsoci alcare/healthcaresystem/bulletins/ nationalsurveyofbereavedpeoplev oices/2015-07-09http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopu lationandcommunity/healthandsoci alcare/healthcaresystem/bulletins/ nationalsurveyofbereavedpeoplev oices/2015-07-09

5. Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care 8 September 2015 Aimed at local health and social care and community leaders. It builds on the Department of Health’s 2008 Strategy for End of Life Care, and responds to an increased emphasis on local decision making in the delivery of palliative and end of life care services. The framework sets out six ambitions, which are principles for how care for those nearing death should be delivered at local level http://endoflifecareambitions.org.u k/http://endoflifecareambitions.org.u k/

6. National Information Standard 18 September 2015 Public Health England and NHS Improving Quality have made new changes to the national information standard, Palliative Care Co-ordination: core content The standard defines what key information is to be held in Electronic Palliative Care Co-ordination Systems (EPaCCS) or other care co-ordination systems. The core content includes a person’s palliative and end of life care decisions and preferences, and aims to improve the co-ordination of care through better communication of people’s wishes and preferences at the end of life. Changes to be implemented by 1 March 2016 http://www.endoflifecare- intelligence.org.uk/national_information_ standard/end_of_life_care_coordination/http://www.endoflifecare- intelligence.org.uk/national_information_ standard/end_of_life_care_coordination/

7. UK End of Life Care ranked the best in the world 9 October 2015 End-of-life care: The best and the worst Top 10Score out of 100Bottom 10Score out of 100 UK93.9Iraq12.5 Australia91.6Bangladesh14.1 New Zealand87.6Philippines15.3 Ireland85.8Nigeria16.9 Belgium84.5Myanmar17.1 Taiwan83.1Dominic Republic17.2 Germany82Guatemala20.9 Netherlands80.9Iran21.2 US80.8Botswana22.8 France79.4China23.3 A study praising the quality and availability of services. The UK ranks first in the 2015 Quality of Death Index, a measure of the quality of palliative care in 80 countries around the world released today by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The rankings were worked out following assessments for the quality of the hospitals and hospice environments, staffing numbers and skills, affordability of care and quality of care http://www.qualityofdeath.org/

8. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence(NICE) 21 December 2015 NICE launched the first guidelines for the NHS on improving care for people who are in their last days of life. It aims to improve end of life care for people in their last days of life by providing recommendations on: - Recognising the last days of life - Communicating and shared decision-making - Maintaining their comfort and dignity - Managing common symptoms - Anticipatory Prescribing - Maintaining hydration in the last days of life https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng31

9. Faith at the end of life 1 February 2016 Public Health England launched a new resource which aims to help frontline professionals and providers working in community settings and commissioners maintain a holistic approach to the people dying, caring or bereaved. It takes account of spiritual needs of the largest 6 faith groups. https://www.gov.uk/government/pu blications/faith-at-end-of-life- public-health-approach-resource- for-professionals https://www.gov.uk/government/pu blications/faith-at-end-of-life- public-health-approach-resource- for-professionals

10. Commissioning Person Centred Care 9 May 2016 This guide identifies the main elements involved in commissioning end of life care services, in practical terms and offers a staged approach, supported by a wide range of links to tools and sources for both commissioners and providers of services. This publication aim is to help commissioners understand the characteristics and benefits of Specialist Level Palliative Care for adults, and how this fits within the different components of end of life care provision in any care setting. https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp- content/uploads/2016/04/nhsiq- comms-eolc-tlkit-.pdfhttps://www.england.nhs.uk/wp- content/uploads/2016/04/nhsiq- comms-eolc-tlkit-.pdf

11. 2015 National Survey of Bereaved People 9 May 2016 The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published their 2015 report for the annual National Survey of Bereaved People (VOICES). Survey results include quality of patient care, dignity and respect for patient, and support for carer in last 3 months and 2 days of life and quality of dementia care. https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/n ationalsurveyofbereavedpeoplevoi ces2015https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/n ationalsurveyofbereavedpeoplevoi ces2015

12. ‘The right healthcare, for you, with you, near you’ More updates to come during 2016.