Liverpool Care Pathway 

In the last hours or days of life we want to be absolutely sure that you receive the best possible care.  This care includes attending to your emotional and spiritual needs as well as managing any physical symptoms you may have.  We’ve only got this one chance to get it right for you so it’s really important that we don’t miss anything.

Having a written down care pathway to follow helps to reduce the risk of missing something that’s important to you and your loved ones and to maximise the chance of you having the peaceful death you hope for.  

The Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) developed by Liverpool’s Marie Curie Hospice and Royal Liverpool Hospital is the best known care pathway in use across the country.  Sometimes it is called an Integrated Care Pathway (ICP).  There are versions of the LCP suitable for use in care homes, nursing homes, hospitals, hospices and in your own home.

The health care professionals looking after you will start using the LCP when they think you are in your last few days of life.  They should explain what they are doing and talk to you and your loved ones about it.

You will be reviewed regularly and frequently so that changes in your condition can be responded to quickly.

It will not do you any harm if the LCP is used for more than a few days before you die nor will any signs of an unexpected recovery be masked.

Using the LCP does not lengthen or speed up the dying process.

Click here LCP Generic Version 12 (example)  if you want to see an example of the LCP documents that make up the care pathway.