THE Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals have scrapped a controversial “end-of-life” plan for dying patients.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) has replaced the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) with the Five Priorities of Care initiative, following guidance from national health officials.

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The LCP was used across the country and involved treatment, food and water being withdrawn, in some circumstances, from sedated patients during their final days.

But it came under intense scrutiny from campaigners who claimed doctors had been establishing “death lists” of patients in a bid to cut costs and save bed spaces.

Bosses said the Five Priorities of Care scheme places more emphasis on the needs and wishes of the dying person and those close to them.

Dr Rineke Schram, chief medical officer at ELHT, said: “The five priorities mean care is focused on the dying person’s wishes and needs rather than processes.

“This will make sure the person’s voice, and the voices of their family, are heard at all times.

“Our new approach is more flexible than the no-longer-used Liverpool Care Pathway. It is very much an individual plan of care for the person and their family, rather than a generic document. The whole focus is on patient-centred care.”

The five priorities – recognise, communicate, involve, support, plan and do – have been shared with East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen GPs, hospices, care homes and community nursing staff.