Via National End of Life Care Programme

This recently published toolkit identifies the main elements involved in the commissioning process, explains the commissioning cycle in practical terms and offers a four-stage approach across all sectors.

Download the toolkit

The four stages are:

• 1. Analyse and plan to understand the local population’s needs and identify who is likely to be in their last year of life.
• 2. Design pathways commission care from a pathway approach, taking into account differing disease trajectories.
• 3. Specify and procure define what a good, integrated end of life care service should look like and then seek to establish systems to ensure this is achieved.
• 4. Deliver and improve by managing demand, measuring performance and monitoring population needs, including the targeting of hard to reach groups.

The toolkit provides a wide range of links to tools and sources of support for commissioners. It also showcases good practice and seeks to indicate what a well-commissioned end of life care service looks like.

The toolkit has been developed by the NEoLCP, working with Help the Hospices, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Macmillan Cancer Support, the National Council for Palliative Care, ADASS, SCIE, NICE, NHS South of England and the Royal College of General Practitioners.