The Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) influencing the UK national agenda on care of the dying

Abstract

Palliative care has been one of the great success stories within the health-care system in the UK over the past 40 years. It evolved in the environment of a dominating cure model and has directly influenced the adjustment of the system towards a caring model. Its influence has been widespread and it has developed into a recognized speciality with a substantial body of knowledge underpinning it (Doyle et al, 2005). It has had considerable impact on the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching of health-care professionals (Field and Wee, 2002) and permeates the National Service Frameworks for chronic diseases as an integrated part of healthcare for cancer (Department of Health (DoH), 2000a) and non-cancer patients (DoH, 2000b, 2005).