Meeting Summary Thursday 14 March 2013 (last year)

Appendix2. Discussion on challenges and how Network members can support each other/find solutions.

  1. How can we influences attitudes towards end of life care

  • Circulate/develop newsletters
  • Use hospital notice boards
  • Promote E learning & Final Journeys
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  • Linking with IHF in relations to the public messages- be advocates for end of life care.
  • Use A Wish to influence attitudes

  1. How can we improve the rate/level of involvement of doctors?

  • Making the message relevant
  • Provide an end of life care induction, reference the work of the Standing Committee
  • Using the grand rounds. Incorporating the Wish and Map
  • Organise training in breaking bad news
  • Get the support of clinical director
  • Use statistics and data, lots of information available from IHF/HFH
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  • Make a presentation to the Hospital Manager
  • Use the connections with consultants. In hospitals where it has worked well. Sharing the template-using Aisling O’Gorman’s connection within the Palliative Care Work Group
  • The recent parliamentary question about post mortems -put it on the agenda as it’s a patient safety issue

  1. How can we keep end of life care on the agenda & ensure engagement

  • Doing the small things well
  • Feeding back to staff after Network meetings/conferences
  • Involve all stakeholders
  • Ensure end of life care is on the agenda of senior management
  • Tapping into agendas with an end of life lens e.g. finance, complaints, compliments, quality department
  • Circulate/develop newsletters& publications
  • Put the HFH logo on email signatures
  • Negotiating action plans and keeping stakeholders informed
  • Engaging senior managers on importance of staff support
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  • Having staff awareness days-link in with health promotion department
  • Ward based audits of end of life care awareness
  • Reporting to the board/senior management team/group manager on a regular basis
  • Update the monthly CNM meeting
  • Use screen savers to promote initiatives e.g. screen saver project in Beaumont which displayed all the resources
  • Touch base with the people who are really reflecting and engaging at audit meeting, they could be end of lie care champions
  • Ask HCAs to take responsibility for the practical resources e.g. sticking the ward altar

  1. How can we maximise the physical environment

  • Acknowledge it when people are in a place that they don’t want to be. Be upfront.
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  • Using the practical resources as best as possible
  • Turning down TVs

  1. We need national & strategic leads but how can we balance that with the need to involve & develop local champions for end of life care

  • Staff can be involved in sub groups
  • Linking with the clinical director/leads
  • Develop new relationships
  • Involving the public representative in meetings/events
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  • Inviting managers to Final Journeys
  • Leading by examples and being authentic in what we do
  • Organise a social event for standing committee
  • Have an orientation plan for new standing committee members

  1. How can we improve buy in from senior managers

  • Including it in the service plan
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  • Reiterate the value of the HFH standards in demonstrating compliance with meeting HIQA Standards

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