This site was set up because despite the closure of the Liverpool Care Pathway in 2013, there are ongoing complaints that patients are being diagnosed as “dying” in hospitals and they are being subjected to end of life pathways and being denied hydration.
In this situation, relatives are frequently denied meaningful input into what happens to their loved one. They feel powerless to defend them and can become very distressed. The impetus to create this site comes from these relatives.
A group of physicians who have followed this issue closely contributed to the Patient Care Bill of Rights a few years ago. The website is an explanation and practical means for concerned relatives to be able to achieve the rights that are in this Bill, if they so wish.
The material on the site is based on information available on the internet, (including NICE guidelines, Mental Capacity Act 2005) and the experiences of relatives facing these pathways since the closure of the Liverpool Care Pathway.
It is hoped that it will be a resource to increase awareness of this situation, and to allow relatives to respond in a positive way. We hope in the near future to set up a call line for advice and to set up a network of local support persons. We also hope that the Bill of Rights will be adopted as widely as possible.