Good in principle but poorly applied
The Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) is to be phased out following a review commissioned by the government. Although the LCP has been strongly criticised, many healthcare and compliance experts believe it was good in principle.
What seems too have gone wrong is the LCP has been misinterpreted and poorly applied. Instead of enabling hospice-type care to be delivered in hospital settings, it led to patients being drugged and refused fluids.
Replace LCP with better personal care
Evidence is accumulating to suggest that such factors as targets and increased stress have undermined the culture of caring and eroded the compassionate nature of providing care.
Reflecting this, the BBC Newsnight package broadcast on 15 July 2013 closed its report on the demise of the LCP with the comment “…replace a tick-box culture with compassionate palliative care.”
The indication at this stage seems to be that the intention is to phase out LCP and achieve what it failed to deliver through better personal care. This suggests that the LCP will be absorbed within the policies governing care planning.
QCS End of Life Care Pathway
In the meantime, QCS End of Life Care Pathway works with the best of the LCP and adds one of the hallmarks of the QCS approach – user-centric attention to detail that enables the delivery of high standards of CQC compliant care.
The QCS End of Life Care Pathway Policy and Procedure sets out the principles and supports the provision of compassionate personal care for those whose lives are approaching a natural end.
Integrating the PDCA or Deming cycle means that very regular reassessment and review is promoted. Such an approach means that a basic need such as hydration is considered and requests for fluids are not denied.
