RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Ethics and end of life care: the Liverpool Care Pathway and the Neuberger Review
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 639
OP 643
DO 10.1136/medethics-2013-101780
VO 41
IS 8
A1 Anthony Wrigley
YR 2015
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/41/8/639.abstract
AB The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying has recently been the topic of substantial media interest and also been subject to the independent Neuberger Review. This review has identified clear failings in some areas of care and recommended the Liverpool Care Pathway be phased out. I argue that while the evidence gathered of poor incidences of practice by the Review is of genuine concern for end of life care, the inferences drawn from this evidence are inconsistent with the causes for the concern. Seeking to end an approach that is widely seen as best practice and which can genuinely deliver high quality care because of negative impressions that have been formed from failing to implement it properly is not a good basis for radically overhauling our approach to end of life care. I conclude that improvements in training, communication and ethical decision-making, without the added demand to end the Liverpool Care Pathway, would have resulted in a genuine advance in end of life care.