Cultural preferences and spiritual beliefs should be included in discussions about the care a person, and those close to them, want to receive, says NICE.
According to the organisation, information about an individual’s religious beliefs can be important for providing appropriate care. For example, someone who is Catholic may wish to receive the last prayers and ministrations. The 2016 End of Life Care Audit found that spiritual wishes were only documented for one in seven people who communicated their wishes.
‘Control of pain and other distressing symptoms is very important for dying people, but good end of life care goes far beyond that,’ said Sam Ahmedzai, emeritus professor of palliative medicine at Sheffield University. ‘It includes asking about the dying person’s spiritual, cultural, religious and social preferences. Only by attending to these issues and concerns can we deliver truly individualised care for each person and those important to them.’
The guidance also covers a range of other issues that clinicians providing palliative care may encounter. For example, some people can experience difficulty in swallowing during their final days of life. Therefore necessary changes to prescribed medicine – such as providing injections instead of tablets – should be anticipated so that the person is not left without essential medication.
‘We know the vast majority of people in this country receive very good care at the end of life, but this isn’t always the case,’ said Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive of NICE.
‘Our guidance will support doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals so that they can work together to ensure that people die with dignity, whenever possible, in the place of their choosing and with their symptoms effectively controlled.’