End of life quality matters (EOLQM): a quality improvement programme in Hertfordshire

Abstract

IntroductionThe EOLQM is a collaborative education project between a local community health service and hospice. It was designed to encourage participants to identify an integrated approach to planning, contracting and measuring end of life care (EOLC) service delivery across health and social care.AimsTo facilitate a more collaborative approach to EOLC and increasing insight/empathy into the work of other professionals working in end of life care.Methods4½ days and 1 full day for course evaluation and project presentationDay 1: Introduction to the programme/Audit/Research/EvaluationDay 2: Multi professionalDay 3: Change ManagementDay 4: Project workDay 5: Advance Care Planning and project presentations.Results16 participants attended from learning disabilities, district nursing, palliative care and mental health providers.Pre and post course questionnaires showed a confidence increase in use of audit, working across boundaries and team dynamics. The course was highly evaluated. Project areas: manual handling training programme for families/informal carers, design, end of life pathway for learning disabilities, research and review of the key worker programme, design of an effective and standardised document to communicate advance care plan wishes, re-launch of the Liverpool Care Pathway.DiscussionEOLQM brought together staff from a variety of disciples and settings enabling them to discover and work together on projects to benefit patients at the end of life. By focussing on measuring and evaluating what we do across boundaries, it enabled participants to start to influence strategy in their own work setting.ConclusionEOLC is not just concerned with symptom control and communication skills. It also needs to be measured and evaluated and those working at the coal face have their part to play in this – not only through providing data but also designing how and what data should be captured.