A new initiative has been launched to improve end-of-life care for heart failure patients in Glasgow and Clyde. British Heart Foundation Scotland, Marie Curie Cancer Care and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are developing a new approach to palliative care for heart failure patients in hospital, hospices, care homes and at home.
“Caring Together” is a five year programme which aims to improve quality and access to care for local heart failure patients with palliative care needs, as well as giving patients choice in their place of care by improving co-ordination of care among healthcare providers. Many heart failure patients have unmet palliative care needs. Key elements of the programme include:
• Developing ways of identifying heart failure patients entering the palliative care phase and providing a comprehensive assessment of their needs.
• Completion of a management and anticipatory care plan in discussion with the patient and appropriate to patient condition and context.
• Identification and allocation of a care manager who will be responsible for managing the care of the patient.
• An approach to multidisciplinary working.
• A learning and development plan in order to support clinical staff in providing palliative care to this group of patients.
Based on these core elements, the programme aims to develop models that will provide seamless care.
