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End of Life Care at University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL)

What is end of life care?

End of life care is for people in their last 12 months of life. But this is not always easy or possible to predict. Doctors sometimes use tools such as SPICT or GSF to help with this. Some people have end of life care over many months. Others may have end of life care for only a few hours or days. Wherever a person is cared for, they should be given high quality end of life care.

See this link for information on SPICT (Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool)

See this link for information on GSF (Gold Standards Framework)

Advance care planning

Doctors and nurses ask about the patient's wishes and choices to help plan end of life care. They should also support any family or other people who are important to the person. A ReSPECT form helps keep these decisions in one place. 

See this link for information on the ReSPECT process.

See this link for information on Advance care planning

In hospital

At Leicester, the doctors and nurses on the ward provide end of life care.  The specialist palliative care team see people who have more complex end of life needs.  

See this link for information on specialist palliative care services in Leicester hospitals.

SWAN model of care

SWAN stands for Signs, Words, Actions and Needs.  The SWAN model is used in Leicester hospitals to support the care of dying adults by:

  • helping doctors recognise when someone is dying
  • supporting good conversations with the patient, family and the clinical teams
  • finding out what is now most important to the person and their family
  • sharing useful information with the patient and their family
  • addressing the needs of the patient and their family (e.g. practical, cultural or spiritual needs)

We create an individualised SWAN plan of care with the patient and their family. This helps us to find out about and discuss any wishes or concerns. It helps doctors and nurses make sure that the patient is comfortable.

See this link for information on the SWAN model in UHL.

Other links 

Use these links for information on:

 Dying Matters in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is dedicated to improving end of life experiences for people living in either county, their families and loved ones.                                                                                         See this link for more information about Dying Matters