Building on previous engagement, local residents are being given the opportunity to review and respond to the proposed new model of care for community-based specialist palliative care for adults in NW London.
The new model of care has been co-designed over the last year by a working group of NW London residents, along with clinicians, NHS providers and charitable hospices with the ultimate goal of making sure there is improved access to high quality services.
The model covers a wide range of community-based specialist palliative care services that will help patients to stay in their own home or usual place of residence, whilst allowing them the flexibility to move to a different care setting if needed.
It increases the range and number of inpatient bed care options available by introducing enhanced end-of-life care beds, for people with less complex specialist palliative care needs who still require inpatient care, on top of the existing hospice inpatient beds currently in place and projected to be required over the next five to ten years.
The model also includes an extension of a number of existing services to level-up provision and availability across all eight NW London boroughs, including:
- Extended provision of 24/7 telephone advice lines for existing and new patients
- Extended days and hours of care provision by specialist teams
- Increased support to care homes
- Expansion of Hospice at Home services to all boroughs, supporting up to 24-hour care in patients’ homes
- The introduction of new common standards for psychological and bereavement support services
- Expansion of lymphoedema services
Dr Lyndsey Williams, Chair of the community-based specialist care model of care working group said:
“I’m tremendously pleased and grateful that so many local residents and those who have first-hand experience of the palliative and end of life care received in NW London have helped us in shaping this proposed new model over the last eighteen months.
“With the support of our colleagues in both charitable and NHS providers, we would like to share this proposal with NW London residents and ask whether they agree that the model will improve and level-up community based specialist palliative care across our eight boroughs, helping us provide high-quality end of life care to patients.”
During our engagement, people also emphasised the importance of getting some of the background stuff right. Making sure we had a trained workforce who understood the cultural and faith needs of our diverse community. Doing more to explain how good palliative and end of life care is about helping people live the best quality life they can. To understand the needs of people with long-term conditions such as dementia, heart disease and cancer to name a few. And to have bereavement support for their family and loved ones.
A summary document is available here.
A one page summary is available here.
We are asking local residents to provide their feedback on the proposed model of care by completing our simple survey or attending one of our online engagement events. Please click on the date and time of the event you wish to attend to book your place:
- 10-11.30am, Tuesday 5 September 2023
- 2-3.30pm, Wednesday 6 September 2023
- 7-8.30pm, Thursday 7 September 2023
- 6-7.30pm, Tuesday 3 October 2023
Engagement on the model of care will continue throughout the summer and early autumn.
Notes to editors
The purpose of this new model of care is to provide a framework for community-based specialist palliative care services for adults (18+ years old) in NW London with advanced or life-limiting conditions.
It was co-designed by a working group consisting of NW London residents with lived experience of palliative and end-of-life care, as well as bereavement, along with clinicians and providers. The group met over thirty times during a twelve-month period to review the potential services and support and create a new model of care to meet the needs of NW London residents for the next five to ten years.
This new model shows “what good care should look like” for adults across NW London - some of these services already exist across all boroughs, while others are new additions and will level up the standard of care. This is particularly significant for boroughs where the services currently do not exist or there is significant variation for boroughs.
The specific details of how the services will be organised and provided will be determined in the next phase of the programme, once the new care model is finalised, following this next period of engagement.
We are immensely grateful for the continued engagement and contributions which are vital to the success of this transformative initiative. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at nhsnwl.endoflife@nhs.net or see https://www.nwlondonicb.nhs.uk/get-involved/cspc
This improvement programme is being carried out by NHS NW London under the leadership of the NW London Integrated Care System (NW London ICS).
For further information, call Andrew Pike on 07771339170 or email: a.pike@nhs.net