Despite the fact that so many people die in hospitals, end-of-life care is still not seen as a core activity of hospitals, and is not normally included in service plans. Neither is its importance adequately reflected in hospital cultures, systems and structures. The first ever National Audit of End-of-Life Care in Hospitals, in the last week of life, suggests that end-of-life care in Irish hospitals compares favourably with that reported by hospitals elsewhere. Nevertheless, despite this relatively positive picture – which is not usually found in other studies or audits - the Audit gives rise to more unsettling insights. These relate to high levels of disagreement between nurses and doctors with regard to key aspects of care and symptom management, the quality and focus of communication with patients and relatives, and the degree to which they document and coordinate care. Because the perspective of the bereaved relative, nurse and doctor were all captured for the same patient, the National Audit was able to show that bereaved relatives rated the ‘acceptability of death’ lower than doctors.
The work of the Hospice Friendly Hospitals (HFH) Programme is now focused on making end-of-life care central to hospital care and on bringing it ‘from the margins to the mainstream of our health services.
Aims of the HFH Programme
- To develop the capacity of acute & community hospitals to meet and where possible, to exceed the quality of standards for End-of-Life Care in Hospitals.
- To change the overall culture in hospitals & residential facilities in relation to all aspects of dying, death and bereavement.
To achieve these aims the work of the programme is focused around four key themes: Competence & Compassion; Planning & Coordination; The Physical Environment; An Ethical Approach
For more information, please contact Hospice Friendly Hospitals on +353 1 673 0068 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .