A document released today by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) outlines a quality standard for end of life care.

Compiled by a group of experts in fields as diverse as palliative medicine, nursing and pastoral care; the standards are a set of statements which describe how the highest quality of end-of-life care can be achieved for the over half a million of people a year who die in England and Wales.

The statements apply to adults who have chronic, long-term conditions as well as those with acute, life-threatening illnesses. They also take into account the wellbeing of families and carers of people in these groups.

Focal points for the quality standards include increasing the length of time people spend in their preferred place of care during the last year of life, ensuring strong communication between people approaching the end of life and care professionals, as we as the early identification of those approaching the last year of life.

The broad-ranging guidelines will be welcomed by advocates of a more holistic, inclusive approach to supportive and palliative care.

Read the full report here.