Care at and after death: an update on policy and guidance

This article, the eighth and final one in a series on palliative and end-of-life care, discusses the main updates on policy and guidance related to care at and after death, and the support that is offered to the family and key contacts. It also includes an account of alignment work while Hospice UK and the National Nurse Consultant Group (Palliative Care) have been working with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges to ensure consistency of practice recommendations. The article reviews current issues that have arisen, which affect the procedure for verification of death, alongside the significant changes happening to death certification and how this may influence clinical practice. Hospice UK's updated national guidance on care after death and registered nurse verification of expected adult death are our main points of reference.

This article has been double-blind peer reviewed

In this article…

• A summary of guidance for verification of expected death and care after death

• Issues emerging in the process of aligning and updating national policy

• Educational and ethical perspectives on care around the time of death

Key points

The circumstances in which people die affects the process of verifying the death

Offering care at and after the time of death is a vital nursing skill

Providers of nurse education have a key role in ensuring nurses feel confident to provide this care

An understanding of the legal, ethical and policy context is also fundamental

Hospice UK's updated guidance reflects the latest changes in care for verification of expected death and care after death