New Online Campaign Aims To Help People Understand Electronic Record-Sharing For End Of Life Care
A new social media campaign aims to help people take advantage of electronic record sharing for end of life care. “Know About Me” will be launched by the National Council for Palliative Care on Monday 20 Marchand run for four weeks. Each week will have a different theme, addressing why record sharing matters, how it can help, addressing concerns and finally looking at the practical next steps. The campaign was commissioned by NHS England.
The goal of the campaign is to help people understand why electronic record sharing can help them or their loved ones when receiving palliative or end of life care. Over the four weeks, it will take people on a journey from understanding why it can help, through any concerns people may have to what practical steps they can take to share records electronically.
Claire Henry, Chief Executive of the National Council for Palliative Care, said “everyone should have good quality end of life care, but sometimes delays in sharing information can be a barrier to receiving this. With this campaign, we hope that people will start to become aware of what the benefits are, and how to talk to their GP or other medical staff to see what’s available in their area to ensure their wishes and priorities for end of life care are known and respected.”
“We are pleased to be working with NHS England on this campaign. It’s in everyone’s interests to get this right, so that important information is available to key people when they need it.”
The campaign is based on the question “how will people know about me?” It is about sharing medical wishes, likes or dislikes – such as difficulty in swallowing tablets – as well as key points from a medical history.
Says Claire: “When you’re ill, you’re often also worried. Having to repeatedly give your medical history can be frustrating. We want people to know that they are ways to record some of that information electronically, so you only get asked the important questions.”
In 2015 NHS England and NCPC were part of the partnership that produced ‘The Ambitions for Palliative and end of life care: a national framework for local action’. The framework is underpinned by 6 building blocks, one of which is ‘care is co-ordinated’. NHS England commissioned this campaign as it recognises that sharing information is key to ensuring that care is co-ordinated and will support delivery of the framework.
NHS England’s National Clinical Director for End of Life care, Professor Bee Wee, said: “Patients benefit greatly from timely, co-ordinated care, and NHS England is pleased to be working with the NCPC to show how electronic record sharing can be a key tool for patients in ensuring that all the professionals they meet understand their needs and preferences.”
