Clinical Guidelines

Supporting a patient with a life limiting illness.

From helping people to make informed choices about their care to supporting best practice in care quality, our team of experts can help you support a patient with a life limiting illness.

Contact our Clinical Team on stcatherineshospice.admin@nhs.net or 01293 447333 with any questions. Alternatively, download some of the useful standards and clinical guidelines below.

Planning future care

Encouraging a person to record how they want to be cared for in the final months of their life will help them to feel more in control and get the care they want. Download our template ‘Advance Care Plan’ here or see the NHS choices website for more information.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it is even more important to enable patients and families to prepare for unexpected changes in their health. Depending on their situation, this may require decisions about whether to seek urgent treatment in hospital or plan for deteriorating health at home. We have prepared Supporting Guidance for Advance Care Planning for Covid-19 to guide decision making about what to do.

Anticipatory prescribing for community palliative care

This guidance is intended to support GPs and non specialists in prescribing injectable medication for symptom control in the last days of life as part of an individualised care plan. It includes an opioid conversion table and a sample community prescription chart for PRN medication as an example of best prescribing practice. This will assist with the completion of local prescription charts on a person by person basis.

Patients with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 may have significant symptoms and distress. Symptom control guidance for Covid-19 gives suggested medication for common symptoms based on national guidelines and local clinical experience, including options for non-injectable medication.

Gold Standards Framework

The Gold Standards Framework offers training and guidance to help you provide outstanding care to patients facing the end of their life. And if you’re planning to set up a Gold Standard Framework at your practice in Surrey or Sussex, our St Catherine’s nursing and medical teams can help.

End of Life Care Strategy

Published in 2008, the End of Life Care Strategy provides a framework for health and social care services and sets out recommendations based on feedback from clinicians and palliative care experts.

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