The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) is a systematic evidence based approach to optimising the care for patients nearing the end of life in the community.  It is concerned with helping people to live well until the end of life and includes care in the final year of life for people with any end stage illness in the community.

The aim of GSF is to develop a locally-based system to improve and optimise the organisation and quality of care for patients and their carers in the last year of life.  It formulates a component of the End of Life Care Initiative and is now being piloted in Care Homes (link to education).  More details can be found at:

Essentially the GSF is a simple common-sense approach to formalising best practice, so that good care becomes standard for all patients every time.

The St Catherine’s community specialist nurses actively participate in the GSF meetings that are set up in their locality, and can also offer their experience to support your practice as you set up the initiative if this is your plan.

http://www.goldstandardsframework.nhs.uk/

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Dearcolleagueletters/DH_4084872