Care for the dying and the NHS is an important but often difficult and neglected topic. In September 2000 the Nuffield Trust sponsored a conference to bring together health professionals and others with varying experiences in and beyond the NHS to generate innovative and practical ideas for improving care for patients and families at the end of life. This publication is a summary of the Second Buckinghamshire Conference and its recommendations.
The publication acknowledges progress in the area of care for the dying, such as the development of best practice models of care, and proposes a range of measures
to improve care of the dying in the NHS. Many of its recommendations are also appropriate for implementation in care homes and independent hospitals.