Coventry and Warwickshire Hospices working together to put patients first

Why change was needed

Hospices provide very important services to people at a vulnerable time. Without close collaboration and coordination between hospice providers and local NHS services patients will not be guaranteed the best possible experience. The service offered could be inequitable across our system with some patients having to wait longer than necessary to receive the care they need.

Furthermore, if a patient has expressed their wishes for end-of-life care, it is vital for services to talk to once another if those wishes are to be respected as fully as possible.

 

What we did

To make the experience as positive as it can be for people, hospice providers across Coventry and Warwickshire are working with wider partners in the local NHS to coordinate services and have agreed a joint vision.

This joint vision is designed to demonstrate a collaborative approach to hospice services and form the basis of hospice care across our system. It reads:

 

“We collectively aim to provide accessible, equitable and personalised hospice care services to people at the end of their lives or with incurable illness and those who matter to them. We will do this by working collaboratively across health and social care to deliver the right care, at the right time and in the right place whilst seeking to maximise independence and support people to have a positive experience at the end of life."

 

This partnership working is already underway in South Warwickshire where healthcare and hospice providers are working together to create a single point of access to hospice and palliative care services. This new model will ensure patients are at the centre of their care and will access the right services, in the right place at the right time.

By working together NHS community teams and hospice providers are in a better position to meet the care needs and wishes of end-of-life patients. Holistic health and care packages can support palliative patients to stay at home and maintain their preferences for where they wish to die.

 

What’s next

We will continue to develop the relationship between hospice providers and local NHS services across our system. By building on the excellent work that has already taken place, we can ensure that end of life care is as positive as possible for patients by both meeting their care needs and respecting their wishes.