End of Life Services in Brent 2

NHS North West London CCG is commissioning for the provision of specialist palliative care including: • Terminal care, symptom control, and respite; • Specialist skills in pain management and control of other symptoms; • Where possible social, emotional and spiritual support; • Support to non-specialist staff where they lack confidence or expertise in caring for particular patients; • Development of effective practice, through partnership working, for example with non-cancer specialists.

The Provider will ensure that the specialist palliative care services provided are staffed by a core team of: • Palliative medicine consultants; • Palliative care nurse specialists; and • Nursing staff

At the discretion of the Provider, patients should have access, whether on a full-time, part-time, or regular sessional basis, or through formal arrangements with providers of related services, to a range of expertise provided by:

• Physiotherapists; • Occupational therapists; • Pharmacists; • Social workers; • Chaplains / spiritual care givers; • Professionals able to deliver psychological support equivalent to Level 3 of the four-level model of professional psychological assessment and support described in NICE guidance for Palliative and Supportive Care.

The core team and, where possible, the staff providing the expertise described above should meet at least weekly to review the care of individual patients. Records, both of attendance and of patients discussed, should be maintained. The outcome of decisions on care should be recorded in the patient's notes. Training programmes relevant to the specialist palliative care team and other staff working in specialist palliative care facilities should be made available and accessible.

Additional information: Currently, the nature of the service provision remains unchanged as NWL ICS is completing their region-wide review of all End of Life / Specialist Palliative Care Services across NW London. This interim service contract for 12-months will afford the new CCG time to agree a consistent approach in commissioning and contracting this service at NWL ICS level in line with NHSE/I guidance, thereby ensuring standardised and seamless service delivery across the board.