Getting the priorities right in end-of-life care

The Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People has drawn up five priorities for the care of dying people. The priorities replace the Liverpool Care Pathway, which was widely criticised for promoting a tick-box approach to the care of the dying. The five priorities focus on: recognising that someone is dying; communicating sensitively with them and their family; involving them in decisions; supporting them and their family; and creating an individual plan of care that includes adequate nutrition and hydration. The alliance has outlined the duties and responsibilities of nurses and other health professionals when caring for people at the end of their lives, with an emphasis on compassionate care.