The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP) provides an evidence based framework for the delivery of appropriate care for dying patients and their relatives in a variety of care settings. It encourages a multi-professional approach to the delivery of care that focuses on the physical, psychological and spiritual comfort of patients and their relatives that has also been shown to empower generic staff in the delivery of care.  End of Life care academic initiatives should be encouraged to bring research, educational and academic credibility to this area.

''Care of the Dying should become a quality indicator in support of the governance and performance management framework of all organisations at executive level''

                                                                                                                                                                Professor John Ellershaw