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= Paid-up subscribersThe Practitioner 2010;254 (1730):5
GMC guidance will help GPs improve end of life care
23 Jun 2010
The GMC (UK) has published important guidance on the treatment and care of patients who are likely to die within the next 12 months.1 The guidance takes account of the Mental Capacity Act, case law, the Government's end of life care strategy2 and GMC guidance on consent.3 It provides a framework for making decisions which are often clinically complex and may present ethical dilemmas, and for the first time provides guidance on advance care planning.'So far as is possible, we should try to preserve patient autonomy and minimise the role of paternalism. Advance care planning allows us to identify and respect our patient's wishes, and thereby improve care at the end of life, enhance family satisfaction and reduce the risk of depression in surviving relatives.6 '
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