Healthwatch Gloucestershire 9 End of Life report: giving people the advice and information they need Our End of life report: Evaluation of non-clinical support is based on findings from over 50 responses to a survey of the public’s experiences on accessing information around end of life care in the county. The report reveals patients and their families in Gloucestershire say better information needs to be provided for local people around end of life care. An online survey was created and a series of engagement visits to local hospices, support groups for people with long term conditions, carers groups, Death Café and Lunch Clubs was carried out to find out how people got the information they needed. Julia Butler-Hunt, Healthwatch Gloucestershire’s Manager, explained why Healthwatch carried out this work: “The aims of the project were to understand and explore in more depth what non-clinical support is available locally and nationally, and identify gaps in information provision. “The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and partner organisations are trying to improve end of life care within the county to enable individuals and their families to receive high quality end of life care, irrespective of where they die.” One person Healthwatch Gloucestershire spoke to, said: “I would have liked more information on what to do after the death of my mother. What to fill in, who to tell, what happens next… it was so overwhelming at a difficult time. I knew a lot of what my mother wanted, but even so, it was so hard.” The findings from the survey will now go to the End of Life Care Clinical Programme Group – a group of partners including the NHS Gloucestershire CCG set up to ensure all people and their families at the end of their life receive high quality care. Healthwatch Gloucestershire has a seat on this group to ensure the voice of local people is heard and considered at a high level. “For me personally I am unlikely to read a load of brochures. Some leaflets that cover the stages of grief have been useful, however the most beneficial was the face-to-face help I received.” Gloucestershire resident. Report reveals better information needs to be provided for local people around end of life care
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