There have been many improvements in the provision of end-of-life care in Irish hospitals, however some areas still need attention, particularly in relation to how news is communicated to patients and their loved ones, the Ombudsman, Peter Tyndall, has said.

He has published A Good Death: Progress Report - a follow-up to a report compiled in 2014, which described some of the issues raised in complaints to the Office of the Ombudsman about end-of-life care.

Over 11,000 people die in Irish hospitals every year and while this progress report shows that many improvements have been made in recent years, more can still be done.

"The welfare and dignity of the dying person and their relatives must be our focus. It is encouraging to see the considerable progress that has been made in end-of-life care in recent years, through excellent partnership working.

"However, there are still some aspects of services that require attention and I look forward to seeing these addressed so that we can, as far as is possible, ensure that people dying in Ireland can do so with dignity, without pain and surrounded by their loved ones," Mr Tyndall commented.

The report found that there has been ‘considerable progress' since the 2014 report, such as increased availability of specialist palliative care services in acute hospitals, improved physical facilities for patients and families, and an increase in the number of end-of-life coordinators and committees in hospitals.

However, there are still areas that require ‘urgent focus and attention', the report stated. For example, the Ombudsman noted that poor communication is a regular feature of complaints to his office.

A survey of bereaved relatives found that many felt that hospital staff had communicated with them in a kind, compassionate and caring way. However, some said that staff ‘did not appear to have much time to talk to them, that doctors gave bad news in a blunt way in front of patients, or that patients were told about their diagnosis without the option of family members being present to support them'.

These complaints ‘highlight the need for continuous training for hospital staff in this regard', the Ombudsman said.

"Professionals need to be clear about the importance of these conversations at the end of life or after a death. Hospitals need to ensure that frontline staff continue to receive the necessary training to help them communicate effectively and sensitively in these situations.

"In addition, people who handle complaints should receive training so that they understand the importance of interacting sensitively and compassionately with bereaved families," the report stated.

The report was launched jointly with a new information booklet from the HSE and Irish Hospice Foundation - When someone you care about is dying in hospital - what to expect.

The booklet is the work of the joint HSE/Hospice Friendly Hospitals Oversight Committee. The Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme seeks to ensure that end-of-life, palliative and bereavement care are central to the everyday business of hospitals across Ireland.

"This is the Oversight Committee's first step to improve public information and reduce variations in end-of-life care across Ireland. It was developed through consultation to provide clear and general information to patients and their families.

"As the Ombudsman's A Good Death report continues to highlight poor communication is a feature in almost all the complaints received, we hope this booklet will play a role in reducing the gap between the message professionals intended to give and what is understood," commented chair of the Oversight Committee, Prof Cillian Twomey.

The booklet can be downloaded here

*Pictured at the launch of the report and booklet are Ombudsman, Peter Tyndall, and the HSE national director of acute operations, Liam Woods.