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The National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) and the Association for Palliative Medicine (APM) have published new guidance on Artificial Nutrition and Hydration (ANH). Updated and extended to take account of the Mental Capacity Act (2005), Artificial Nutrition & Hydration: Guidance in End of Life Care for Adults gives practical, evidence-based guidance on an important and sensitive aspect of care.

This publication will help health and social care workers in all settings understand what needs to happen when decisions about ANH are being made. It identifies the legal and ethical issues that might arise and suggests a stepped approach to decision-making. It contains detailed case studies which explain how ANH decision-making can work in practice. It also includes a series of tables with information about alternative ways of providing ANH, different clinical scenarios and suggested ways of opening up conversations on these issues.

Simon Chapman, Ethics Advisor for NCPC said:

“This is a very important publication, which has been eagerly awaited. I am delighted that NCPC and the APM have been able to work together to produce this Guidance, which I believe will be of great help to people making ANH decisions, whatever setting they are in.”

For information on how to purchase a copy, please contact Nick Hayes, on 0207 697 1520.

PALLIATIVE CARE FACTS

1. Most people have palliative care needs at the end of their life.
2. Those dying from diseases other than cancer suffer gross inequalities in their access to specialist palliative care services.
3. 83% of all deaths are of people aged 65 and over yet only around 65% of these gain access to specialist palliative care services.
4. The current distribution of palliative care services is often random when compared with assessed needs of populations
5. Patient preferences for place of care and death are not met for most people.