End of Life Care

Introduction

Healthier Northamptonshire is a wide-ranging programme of improvements to health and social care across the county, involving commissioners, providers and users of those services.

Within Northamptonshire there are existing, high quality, end of life services. However, we know that the demand for, and our users' expectations of end of life services will grow. That is why end of life care is one of the workstreams for Healthier Northamptonshire.

We know from research that 92% of patients wish to die at home, in a hospice or care home and, of that figure, 66% would prefer to die at home. Currently, however, about 51% of patients in Northamptonshire die in hospital and only 27% of patients living in Corby die at home. This figure drops to 21% for patients living in other areas of the county.

The Office for National Statistics estimates that by 2019 there will be an additional 35,000 adults in Northamptonshire - this is the equivalent to the current population of Rushden and Higham Ferrers combined.

Our vision for end of life care is that compassionate care will be provided in a consistent, co-ordinated way by providers who are competent and confident in delivering high quality care. Patients will be enabled and supported to live and die in a place of their choice.

We are now developing plans to support implementation of our end of life care strategy and we are seeking your views on what is important to you when it comes to end of life care, so that these can be reflected in our plans.

Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey - and let us know your views.

Question Title

* 1. We have set priorities within our strategy to develop patient-centred services. We would like to know how important each is for you.

	Extremely important	Moderately important	Not important
Access to co-ordinated, compassionate care 24hrs a day for 365 days a year	Access to co-ordinated, compassionate care 24hrs a day for 365 days a year Extremely important	Access to co-ordinated, compassionate care 24hrs a day for 365 days a year Moderately important	Access to co-ordinated, compassionate care 24hrs a day for 365 days a year Not important
An assigned key worker to co-ordinate services for the patient	An assigned key worker to co-ordinate services for the patient Extremely important	An assigned key worker to co-ordinate services for the patient Moderately important	An assigned key worker to co-ordinate services for the patient Not important
Rapid access to care in the event of an emergency	Rapid access to care in the event of an emergency Extremely important	Rapid access to care in the event of an emergency Moderately important	Rapid access to care in the event of an emergency Not important
More patients to have an 'advance care plan' in place so that their wishes and preferences are understood	More patients to have an 'advance care plan' in place so that their wishes and preferences are understood Extremely important	More patients to have an 'advance care plan' in place so that their wishes and preferences are understood Moderately important	More patients to have an 'advance care plan' in place so that their wishes and preferences are understood Not important

Are there any other priorities you think we should consider?

Question Title

* 2. Thinking about providing patient-centred services, please rank the following options in order of importance to you (with 1 being the most important and 4 the least - please rank each choice)

An approach where all providers of health and social care services work together to continue to improve services

Creating a culture change where it is more acceptable for people to discuss and plan for death and dying

Ensuring care is provided by health and social care professionals and carers who are informed, competent and confident in what they do

Improving local services so that patients who wish to can die outside of the hospital environment where possible

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* 3. Is there anything else you think we should do that would help us achieve patient-centred services?

Question Title

* 4. We would like to know what you think about the current end of life services we provide. Do you have any comments or thoughts you wish to add from your own perspective?

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* 5. We would like to know if you are a patient, carer, member of the public or responding on behalf of of an organisation

I am a patient

I am a carer

I am a member of the public

I am a GP

I am responding on behalf of an organisation

Please let us know the name of the organisation you are responding for