The Southern Health and Social Care Trust launched a pilot programme at Craigavon Area Hospital to assist staff in documenting care for patients in their last days of life. The programme runs on Ward 2 North, where staff record details of patient comfort, personal needs and family support on an electronic care record.

Staff expertise guides the person-centred care entries. Doctors and nurses on the ward provide feedback to refine the process.

The initiative aligns with a recommendation from the Northern Ireland Assembly Health Committee’s inquiry report on access to palliative care services, which advocated a regional method for recording end-of-life care.

Representatives from the Department of Health and the NI Assembly Health Committee visited the hospital this week. They observed a demonstration of the new system in the Simulation Suite.

Dr Andrea Green, Respiratory Consultant with the Southern Trust, stated that nurses and doctors on 2 North Respiratory possess extensive experience caring for patients in their final days. She noted the pilot ensures compassionate personalised care with patient wishes and comfort recorded for the full team.

Dr Sarah Cousins, Palliative Medicine Consultant with the Southern Trust, indicated that hospital deaths occur frequently despite preferences for home. She described caring for such patients as a privilege and stressed making those days personal.

Debbie Burns, Director of Operations for Adult Community and Acute Services, affirmed the pilot reflects commitment to patient-centred care under the Trust’s Vision and Strategy 2030.