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The Role of Psychology in End of Life Care

The End of Life Care Working Party

This working party was convened in 2006 to develop information and guidance on end of life care.

This web page has been set up to support the work of psychologists who are working with people who are at the end of their lives, their relatives and informal carers. The aim is to signpost visitors to the site to the relevant websites that will support their work.

The web page is organised to help practitioners and researchers alike to find information about the key organisations that are influential in the development and provision of specialist palliative care and bereavement (Help the Hospices; National Council for Palliative Care or NICE) and also about current research and practice within the field. This will include condition specific (cancer; people with learning disabilities; Motor Neurone Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease). There are also links to sites related to bereavement (CRUSE; Compassionate Friends; Winston’s Wish and Rip-Rap). The web page is not definitive, and will be updated at regular intervals, but it does link with the most influential sites, and the visitor is encouraged to look at them on a regular basis.

The Society has supported the development of a Working Party to produce a document that aims to inform psychological practitioners about the work of psychologists in specialist palliative care, oncology and other specialisms that have responsibility for the care of dying people, their relatives and informal carers. We are pleased to announce the completion of this document.

The Role of Psychology in End of Life Care (2008)

Christine Kalus, Chair, PPB Working Party on End of Life Issues.

Resources on the web for cancer care and end of life issues

GENERAL

The National Council for Palliative Care

The umbrella organisation for all those who are involved in providing, commissioning and using palliative care and hospice services in England, Wales & Northern Ireland.

Help the Hospices

The national charity for the hospice movement.

Hospice Information Service

MacMillan

International Observatory of End of Life Care

SIGOPAC

PSIGE

National Network for Palliative Care of People with Learning Disabilities

Marie Curie Cancer Care

This website is for anyone looking for information about the charity’s work with cancer patients and their families across the UK. It’s also the place to get involved in supporting the charity today. Your visit to our website is much appreciated.

The BBC

The BBC provides some excellent introductory resources including advice on bereavement, cancer care and ethics.

Bereavement

Exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. The organisation provides counselling and support. It offers information, advice, education and training services.

The Compassionate Friends

(TCF) is an organisation of bereaved parents and their families offering understanding, support and encouragement to others after the death of a child or children. They also offer support, advice and information to other relatives, friends and professionals who are helping the family.

The WAY Foundation

Provides a self-help social and support network for men and women widowed up to the age of 50, and their children. The main aim is to help those widowed young to rebuild their lives by helping one another.

Bereavement support for people with learning disabilities

An online booklet providing good advice to professionals and carers working with people who have a learning disability.

If I Should Die

Is a website dedicated to providing as much practical information and support as possible, in one easy place. It is aimed at everyone, whether they are considering their own death, coping with the death of a loved one, thinking about making a will or just needing some comforting words to help write a letter to a bereaved friend or family member.

Cancer Care

Cancer backup

Europe’s leading cancer information charity, with over 4,500 pages of up-to-date cancer information, practical advice and support for cancer patients, their families and carers.

Cancer Black Care (CBC)

Provides a very unique service providing information, advice and support services for cancer patients and their families, which is sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity.

Ethics

The leading campaigning organisation promoting patient choice at the end of life. They are also the foremost research body on end-of-life issues abd are independent of any political, religious or other organisation.

Care NOT Killing

A UK-based alliance of individuals and organisations which brings together human rights groups, healthcare groups, palliative care groups and faith-based organisations with the aims of promoting more and better palliative care, ensuring that existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened or repealed during the lifetime of the current Parliament and influencing the balance of public opinion further against any weakening of the law.

British Medical Association (BMA)

Provides a range of advice and comment designed to inform doctors on some of the ethical decision making they might face.