Proceeding with Confidence: Development of a Risk Management Strategy for the use of End of Life Care Plans in Victoria.

The Victorian End-of-Life Care Coordinating Program (VEC) is funded by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to support the implementation of end-of-life care plans (EOLCPs) in health services through the development and provision of centralised resources and advice. EOLCPs support best care for the dying by guiding clinical decision making and supporting effective communication between the dying person, their family, and clinicians in the last days and hours of life. In conjunction with a VEC review of current EOLCP documents and in response to international recommendations a comprehensive risk management assessment was undertaken to support the sustainable use of EOLCPs in Victoria. A literature review, media scan and stakeholder consultations lead to development of risk profiles for VEC, health services and DHHS. Risk management strategies have emanated from the risk profiles, resulting in the formation of an “Implementation Guide for Users” for dissemination to the sector. It is inclusive of policy and procedure templates that will provide guidance on quality and safety when implementing and embedding EOLCPs for clinical practice into the future. Findings from the VEC Risk Management Strategy support the use of EOLCPs when implementation processes are embedded within health service clinical governance systems.