BUPA Project

A collaborative project between the Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute (MCPCIL) and Bupa Care Homes, commissioned by Bupa Giving, is shortly to come to an end. The focus of the project has been to support implementation of the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) into Bupa Care Homes and to build the capacity of the workforce through palliative care education.

The Bupa LCP Project introduced a specific model to support both implementation and sustainability.  The Care Homes involved received support to enable them to use the LCP to support the care provided for residents in their last hours/days of life and for their families.

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 and 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.  This model is recommended by the Department of Health.  Through multidisciplinary working and the MCPCIL's innovative and collaborative approach, the LCP has begun to make a long lasting contribution to the care of residents and their families.

The project, which began in 2008, commenced with pilot cohorts in England and Scotland.  A further 5 cohorts joined the project on a six monthly basis.  Regional Project Leads worked closely with Care Home Managers and LCP Key Champions, i.e. nominated staff from within the care home who were chosen to drive the change forward in each care home.  Together they undertook a standardised process of training and change management to underpin implementation of the LCP into each Bupa Care Home.  Using data from across the cohorts, MCPCIL provided Bupa with an amalgamated baseline review report and subsequently, a consolidation post pathway analysis which demonstrated improvements in how care was documented and evidenced during the project.

Key Outcomes

• 68 Care Homes are expected to complete the procress for LCP implementation by the end of the project
• Approximately 3000 Bupa staff have attended LCP training sessions
• There is considerable qualitative evidence of increased multidisciplinary working, e.g. Specialist Palliative Care Teams, GP's
• An LCP Training Pack has been developed for each Care Home that participated in the project
• A portfolio of Good Practice Examples, highlighting reflections from staff involved in the project has also been produced.  This demonstrates staff feelings and perceptions related to improvements in care, communication, confidence, motivation, insight and reduced admission to hospital
• Free post-project training for Bupa's LCP Key Champions will be offered in 2011

Celebrating Success

Over 100 Bupa staff joined with MCPCIL colleagues in Liverpool recently to celebrate the project's success.  Bupa's UK Care Home Director, Oliver Thomas, and MCPCIL's Associate Director, Deborah Murphy, addressed the delegates.  The huge input from Key Champions was acknowledged by all and awards presented to them individually to mark their achievements.

It has been exciting for the Institute to work alongside the care home environment, to fully understand the challenges faced by this care sector and develop the learning related to care of the dying to meet the needs of the residents, relatives/carers, staff, in support of best practice in this field.

“It has truly been a privilege to work alongside the BUPA Key Champions for this project, implementing the LCP for the dying resident. Without question, the motivation, passion and determination of the Key Champions has been a major influence in ensuring the initial success of this project.  We are confident that this level of commitment will help to ensure that the LCP becomes fully integrated into clinical practice, standardising high quality care for residents within their last hours and days of life, and their families.”  Janet Howard & Sharon Phillips,  BUPA Regional Project Leads


A third project that will focus on dementia care is currently under discussion. 

In 2011, Jan Howard and Sharon Phillips will continue to work in the care home sector, focusing on end of life care education and training. 

For more information about BUPA please visit www.bupa.com