A campaign led by Peterborough’s own Laura Beer to improve end-of-life care has already seen results.  

In the last 18 months, Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have worked with local NHS and care services after an increase in poor experiences of end-of-life care were reported. 

In this time, the local NHS has developed a new palliative care hub that coordinates care for people calling the NHS 111 option 3 service. 

As well as rolling out a new training programme to improve community health and care staff’s knowledge of end-of-life care. 

Care services have also seen improvement with new protocols being put in place to help family members by letting the Sue Ryder Hospice at Home team administer painkilling medication at night. 

Healthwatch Chief Executive Sandie Smith, said: “It’s vital that people are supported by health and care staff to make choices about what is important to them near the end of their life. And that those choices are respected. 

“We wrote to the NHS almost two years ago calling for an improvement to end of life care. In particular, we wanted better training for health and care staff supporting people near the end of their life. 

“So, we welcome the introduction of the palliative care hub and the ResPECT training programme which we know are making a difference for local people. 

“But we know that more needs to be done to support people’s choices, particularly for those whose voices aren’t always heard, such as people with learning disabilities, people from our poorer communities, and those with nobody to speak up for them.”  

Healthwatch is part of a local NHS task group overseeing some of these initiatives. 

They also share personal stories like that of non-executive director at Healthwatch, Laura Beer's father to help improve the support families get. 

Laura Beer her journey in memory of her fatherwho died in June 2021, joining the Healthwatch Board in January this year and has since become the board lead for end-of-life care. 

Laura’s fatherwanted at home care; however, he ended up being admitted into hospital during a day appointment. 

She said: “We didn’t think it was that serious. Nobody had said anything.” 

The family were devastated to learn via a Facetime call on the way home from hospital that her dad didn’t have long left to live. 

“Once we got the diagnosis, I was there every day. I had to be taught how to use his nasal gastric tube, do his feeds and that kind of thing.” 

Upon his discharge, the family learnt they weren't allowed to see him and he had no care plan in place despite being told her dad was eligible for funding and filling forms. 

The GP local to the family put an address the father hadn’t lived at for 20 years on the form and that he’d never had registered with them at all. 

Laura’s father was able to receive support from the District Nurses and care from Sue Ryder’s Hospice at home who were able to provide him with additional equipment. 

However, problems remained as the night sitters were unable to administer medication via the NG tube and so Laura still had to get up throughout the night to do it alongside difficulty getting enough pain medication. 

When Laura’s father’s health deteriorated further, he chose to stay at home and died at home a week later. 

Laura is heartened by changes to services that are coming about as a result of listening to patients’ experiences being heard. 

Have you had a recent experience of end-of-life care and want to talk to Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough about it? 

Healthwatch’s information team are experienced in listening to difficult stories and helping people find support.  

If you want to talk to them, you can call on 0330 355 1285 at your local call rate or visit: www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk or www.healthwatchpeterborough.co.uk 

They will use what you share with them to help NHS and other decision makers improve the support available for families near the end of life.