The Associate Director for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and the Assistant Director of Commissioning and Integrated Service presented the report of the Director of Care and Health which provided an update on Palliative and End of Life Care Services provided in Wirral. The report included services commissioned by NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB), Wirral Place and also activities undertaken by commissioned Adult Social Care providers in Wirral.

Members discussed their experience of end of life care and that the key to end of life care was communication. Members asked about the provision made for people to have their end of life care in their own home and this was explained.

Members noted that the distinction between end of life care and palliative care needs to be made. It was explained that there is a difference between palliative care with symptom management which can take a year to 18 months or more and end of life care that can be 6 weeks or less.

It was reported that people eligible for the continuing health care fast track had been identified for end of life care within three months and of those, between fifty to sixty percent of people on that pathway died within three months.

Resolved – That the content of the report, and the Health and Care system work underway to support End of Life Care in Wirral be noted.