20 November 2015
Since the Gold Standards Framework was launched across Jersey in April this year, Jersey Hospice Care has been working closely with Macmillan Cancer Support and the Health and Social Services Department (HSSD) to roll out the initiative. The programme already includes 11 care homes, 25 per cent of home care providers and five GP practices. The programme is being implemented over three years and will include all care providers.
The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) is a major proven training programme that will empower patients and support frontline healthcare providers to deliver a consistently high quality of care for all people with any life limiting illnesses nearing the end of life. Jersey is the first jurisdiction to adopt GSF across all care providers, including GP practices, hospital wards, community nursing, care homes and home care providers.
Macmillan Cancer Support is funding sessional time for three GPs to assist Jersey Hospice Care and HSS with the roll-out of GSF. The GPs, who are titled ‘Macmillan GP Champions’, are local practitioners who have been appointed to lead the way in developing standards in end of life care in Jersey. They offer advice about implementing GSF to other GP practices and support the Strategic End of Life implementation group led by Jersey Hospice Care. The GPs are Dr Ben Rogers, Indigo; Dr Kirsi Jaakola, Island Medical and Dr Steven Perchard, Health Plus.
Derek Hoddinott, Chief Executive at Jersey Hospice Care, said “The success of the Gold Standards Framework lies in its effective roll-out. No-one is better-placed to ensure this is achieved than those already working in practice. The contribution of Macmillan and HSSD is critical to the success of this project and we’re delighted to work with them.”
Dr Michael Bellamy, Macmillan Cancer Support (Jersey) Director and local GP, said “Macmillan is committed to ensuring that anyone affected by cancer has the highest quality of care and support. The GSF is an incredibly important initiative for the Island.”
Making a difference
Ann Appleton from Jersey Cheshire Homes has seen first-hand the difference that the Framework makes to people.
“When I heard that the Gold Standards Framework was coming to Jersey, I very much hoped that we would be considered for inclusion,” she said. “We have always worked closely with Hospice when it comes to looking after our residents, and it is empowering for them, and reassuring for their families, to have the right to be in control of their living and their dying.”
Rachel Williams, Director of Service Redesign and Delivery for HSSD said that improving care for people at the end of their lives formed a key part of Jersey’s health and social care transformation (commonly known as P82/2012 or the ‘White Paper’).
“Great progress has been made, with services working together around end of life care,” she said. “This is one of the areas where our partners such as Hospice and GPs can and do make a huge difference to people’s lives, and I am pleased to be able to support this through P82.”
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