Findings of the National End of Life Survey | 2023
Duration of illness
Figure 1.7
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0
42.4%
One year or more
Six months or more, but less than 1 year
12.3%
20.9%
One month or more, but less than six months
14.4%
One week or more, but less than one month
6.8%
One day or more, but less than one week
1.0%
Less than 24 hours
2.3%
They were not ill
Why measure the experiences of bereaved people? The National Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland state that ‘each resident continues to receive care at the end of their life which respects their dignity and autonomy and meets their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs’. (3) In addition, the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare note that people approaching end of life are particularly vulnerable and should be supported through a culture of kindness, consideration and respect. (4) Experiences of people using health and social care services are recognised as an important indicator of healthcare quality and safety. However, there are several challenges associated with surveying people who are dying or likely to die, including signiȴcant ethical issues and the potentially frail, impaired and vulnerable condition of people at the end of life. (5, 6) Therefore, it is recommended internationally to survey bereaved relatives and friends in order to gain insights into the experiences and quality of end-of-life care. (5, 7, 8) The Oɝce of the Ombudsman, in a report on Developments in End of Life Care in Irish Hospitals , suggested that ‘systems should be put in place to capture the views of bereaved relatives on a regular basis’. (9) Furthermore, the Survey of Bereaved Relatives: VOICES MaJam , which asked bereaved relatives about their experiences of end-of-life care in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and St James’s Hospital, recommended carrying out a national survey. (10) The National End of Life Survey is the ȴrst national survey in Ireland to ask bereaved people about the end-of-life care provided to their relatives or friends, and will inform the development of initiatives aimed at improving the services provided both to people who are dying and to their relatives or friends.
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