Recommendation 1 Investment is needed to raise awareness and actively promote the importance of people planning ahead for their wishes at end of life. ink Ahead (an IHF resource) is a key tool to support and enable people to plan ahead and it should be available and promoted through agencies supporting people at end of life across all care settings and in the community.
Recommendation 2 In future planning, an emphasis must be placed on the importance of maintaining compassionate end-of-life care which is patient focused with family involvement.
Recommendation 3 All healthcare staff (e.g. reception, porters, cleaners, maintenance, admin, community volunteers), across all care settings, should receive targeted education and continuous training to equip them to deliver quality end-of life and bereavement care. 5.2 Enhance Bereavement Support is report has highlighted that bereavement supports were not adequate to meet the needs of people during the pandemic but also before the onset of COVID-19. e concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on the grieving process and notably the outcomes for people who were at the sub threshold for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) need closer monitoring. e impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers needs to be recognised. ere is a need for healthcare staff to have access to specialised bereavement support that acknowledges that they will have ongoing personal and professional grief, not just through public health emergencies.
Recommendation 4 Greater resourcing and investment into the expansion of bereavement support services is required in both primary care and acute care settings.
Recommendation 5 Screening and early intervention should be incorporated into health policy and practices for those who are experiencing PGD or who may be more at risk.
Recommendation 6 Equip health services with appropriate bereavement support services that can be made available to patients and families before, during and after their bereavement.
Recommendation 7 Invest in supports to enable healthcare workers to deal with the impact of personal and professional grief and bereavement in their work.
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