NACEL 2023 Pilot Underway in England and Wales
In anticipation of the full-scale launch of the National Audit of Care at the End of Life (NACEL) in 2024 and 2025, an essential pilot program is currently in progress throughout September 2023, spanning multiple locations across England and Wales.
This pilot initiative aims to rigorously test the revisions made to the NACEL since 2022, introducing critical changes such as increased data collection frequency, sample size adjustments, modified data points, and the implementation of a new interactive Data and Improvement Tool for reporting purposes. A detailed evaluation of the data and feedback gathered during this pilot phase will be carried out in October 2023. The evaluation will be pivotal in shaping the implementation of the 2024 enhanced audit.
The NACEL, which assesses the quality of care provided at the end of life for both patients and their loved ones, remains committed to the ongoing delivery of its fifth round, NACEL 2024.
NACEL 2024 represents a significant overhaul, featuring more frequent data collection, broader scope, revised data points, and a new reporting system designed to directly facilitate the enhancement of end-of-life care in hospital settings. The renewed focus is on understanding how the audit findings can be strategically employed at national and local levels to drive improvements, recognize successful initiatives, and support frontline healthcare professionals in implementing positive changes.
Data collection for NACEL 2024 is scheduled to commence in January 2024, with local findings to be reported back to participants on a quarterly basis. In preparation for the opening of data collection, the NACEL audit will open for registration at the end of October 2023.
Key Highlights for NACEL 2024:
The NACEL for 2024 and subsequent iterations will comprise the following five elements in England and Wales:
Quality Survey: Bereaved individuals will be invited to complete an online survey to assess the quality of care received.
Staff Reported Measure: Staff members who are most likely to interact with dying patients and their loved ones will participate in an online survey to provide their insights.
Hospital/Site Overview: Specific questions pertaining to the hospital or site under consideration will be addressed.
Case Note Review: A review of deaths over a specified period will be conducted.
Audit Summary: This section will encompass general information about deaths and participation in the NACEL.
NACEL 2024 welcomes participation from all NHS-funded acute hospitals and community hospitals. Detailed information regarding audit timelines and content will be available shortly.
For further inquiries or additional information about the audit, please do not hesitate to contact the NACEL Support Team at nhsbn.nacelsupport@nhs.net. Stay tuned for the key findings gathered from the pilot and for updates about NACEL 2024, as registration is shortly to open in late October 2023.