The answer to your question is “Yes.” BTW.

Emergency Medicine teams, and many of my friends in what is now known as Acute Medicine, are good at this sort of “palliative care in a hurry in a less than ideal environment”.

GPs could do so much more if given the resources too.

And you’re right about the mishandling of the LCP.

#EOLC

But we’re a sticking plaster as ever for a system that is fearful and with skewed priorities.

TBH, if I had the chance, I’d love to do some time in proper palliative care in the future. I think I could be good at it.

Thanks Trisha. That’s kind.

I’m not a zealot. But I do get frustrated. The mishandling of the LCP has a lot to answer for. Led to a lot of fear and some dysfunctional behaviour.

What I do now bears no relation to the start of my career and my training. EM is getting better at this.

As part of my background I’ve struggled with this - it doesn’t need spelling out.

But as I’ve aged I’ve concluded that people need to have it available. With stringent safeguards but also with compassion.

As I say regularly in my shop, are we saving life or prolonging death?

#YODO

We are still not having that conversation early enough.

I’m not going to flame the usual culprits as it’s pointless.

But predictable EoL care should not have to be commenced in EM. If it goes wrong, fair enough. It’s part of our job now. But if it’s not a surprise, others need to do more. Earlier.

But it ain’t available after 1700h on a Thursday. Or really any time in my ED - it’s just us and if the palliative care team do us a favour.

There’s room for both in this debate: investment in excellent palliative and EoL care as well as giving people the choice to end their life with autonomy.

I hope his memory is a blessing to you today, Rachel.

After over 20 years my mum died of breast cancer a few months before your Dad.
This year my Dad died of an aggressive cancer in a few weeks. The palliation and home care he received on the NHS in Northern Ireland was second to none.
We disagree on assisted dying. But so much agree on the NHS.

Who are they?

Are they a new beat combo? Like The Stone Roses?

Not a pope. But probably thinks he should be.

Question Of Sport is the only one I’ve seen, and is rubbish. Makes no sense at all - even for a Bond movie.

Ah, Ken. A fine man. A true blue Evertonian. A great journo. Vale.

Not doing a performative flounce from the oul bird.

I’ve had an account here for months but done nowt with it. Interested to see how content and moderation goes. And still important to have voices you disagree with on platform rather than a right-on echo chamber.