Recognition for local end of life care providers

Friday 11 October 2019

Jersey Hospice Care and the Co-op medical practice have been recognised by a national body for providing ‘gold standard’ end of life care to patients with life limiting illnesses.

The National Gold Standards Framework Centre is the UK’s largest provider of training in end of life care for health and social professionals.

Staff working at the Hospice's Patient Unit and Day Hospice have been awarded the nationally recognised Gold Standards Framework (GSF) accreditation, along with Co-Op Medical Care.

Both providers work together to support patients, ensuring their wishes are respected so they may spend their final days in dignity and peace, as well as their families.

To be accredited with the GSF, practitioners must undergo six one-hour modules over six months as well as attend a GSF in-house workshop and be externally evaluated on processes in place with evidence of clinical improvement.

Commenting on Jersey Hospice's accreditation, Professor Keri Thomas, Founder and National Clinical Lead of the Gold Standards Framework, said: "Findings from the evaluation of the impact of GSF in Jersey are very encouraging suggesting that it has catalysed significant improvements in well-coordinated integrated end of life care across the whole island. The progress made in all areas, and particularly in the coordination whole island approach, has been impressive."

Gail Caddell, Director of Palliative Care Services, is delighted that the teams’ hard work has paid off. "There is no greater service we can provide than supporting people every step of the way along this difficult journey," she said. "Through dedicated, planned and coordinated care, we are ensuring more people are living and dying according to their wishes."

"We are delighted that the Co-operative medical practice has been recognised along with our partners at Jersey Hospice Care for leading the way in ensuring patients with a life limiting illness receive the best possible medical care in their last years of life," commented Co-operative Medical Care’s Dr Brendan Loane, lead GP for palliative care.

"As the first medical practice in Jersey to be awarded the national gold standards framework accreditation, recognising excellence in the care provided to patients with a life limiting illness, we are proud to be leaders in a field of care that is so important to our patients and families at a period in their lives when dignified access to care is so important."