Palliative Care

There are excellent services for people with learning disabilities in Sunderland who may need end of life care.

Learning disability services have worked closely with colleagues in palliative care to make sure we share knowledge and experience.

We have been very busy developing information that is easy to understand about becoming poorly and maybe reaching the end of your life.

We have also developed what we called My end of Life Booklet. Its a good idea to fill this in when you are well so in the future people who love and care for you will know what you wanted when you are no longer here.

Please see the links below for our information on reaching the end of life. This is excellent information  for people with learning disabilities, their families and all carers.

There are three further leaflets available and also a word bank that aims to explain complicated words.

Watch the video below about St Benedicts Hospice.

http://www.stbenedicts.co.uk/About-Us/Virtual-Tour

The End of Life Booklet was originally developed several years ago by our local advocacy group Sunderland People First.

We have met with them recently and have updated it significantly to reflect the local service in Sunderland and also developments around end of life planning.

The End of life Booklet can be completed at any stage of a persons life and this should be encouraged so people with learning disability begin to be in control of their futures, sharing their wishes and making choices..

Easy Read EHCP Patient / Carer information and video: 

This EASY READ guide was co-produced by Inclusion North’s Stop People Dying Too Young Group, the North East and North Cumbria Learning Disability Network, the NHS North East and North Cumbria Clinical Networks and the Integrated Care System. Together they have developed information that is easy to understand about Emergency Health Care Plans. There are 3 stories about people who each have an Emergency Health Care Plan. The stories have been created using Widget Communication in Print symbols.

Please also see a new video from the Stop dying too young group that discusses the importance of  people with a learning disability being involved with all important decisions at the end of their lives.

Deciding right Regional Forms – Northern Cancer Alliance Northern Cancer Alliance

End of life film – Stop dying too young group