Care of adults in the last days of life: summary of NICE guidance.

In 2013, the UK Department of Health called for the abolition of the Liverpool care pathway, which was designed to bring a standard of care for the dying from the hospice sector into other settings. This move was provoked by an independent review, which showed that the pathway had been misused and misinterpreted as a tick box exercise. It called for individualised care plans and better staff training in all aspects of end of life care. Care of dying people should be based on evidence and must be tailored to individual needs and wishes, rather than being protocol driven. This article summarises the most recent recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). 2 Recommendations