Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP)

About the LCP

The LCP is an integrated care pathway that is used at the bedside to drive up sustained quality of the dying in the last hours and days of life.

It is a means to transfer the best quality for care of the dying from the hospice movement into other clinical areas, so that wherever the person is dying there can be an equitable model of care.

The LCP has been implemented into hospitals, care homes, in the individuals own home / community and into the hospice.

The LCP is not the answer to all our needs for care of the dying but is a step in the right direction.

It is recommended as a best practice model, most recently, by the Department of Health in the UK.

"The LCP Framework is a continous quality improvement framework for care of the dying irrespective of diagnosis or place of death. The LCP affirms the vision of transferring the model of excellence for care of the dying from hospices into other healthcare settings. We have demonstrated a process that inspires, motivates and truly empowers the generic workforce in caring for their patients and families." Deborah Murphy, National Lead Nurse-LCP, Associate Director MCPCIL

Department of Health recommended

The LCP is recommended by the Department of Health as the best practice model for care of the dying in:

Department of Health (2006) 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: a new direction for community services'. London DOH

Department of Health (2008) 'End of Life Care Strategy – promoting high quality care for all adults at the end of life'. DH. London.

 

More about the LCP

• What is the LCP? for Healthcare Professionals (pdf)
• What is the LCP? for patients and carers (pdf)
• Pocket guide to the LCP (pdf)