Zoe Brummell

Fellow’s Profile

Zoe Brummell

Fellow’s Profile

Zoe Brummell

Family involvement in end of life care in intensive care

Fellowship

Themes

Focus

Improving family involvement and bereavement care in end of life care in Adult Intensive Care

Countries

Fellowship year

2023

Supported by

Locality

London

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Biography

I am an intensive care consultant and medical examiner with a special interest in end-of-life care, bereavement and patient safety. I am undertaking a patient safety PhD looking at organisational learning in healthcare policy and specifically evaluating the Learning from Deaths policy. Through this I have seen that communication with families at the end of life could be much improved. I have undertaken bereavement training and I volunteer with Cruse Bereavement Support.

Many patients who die in hospital in the UK will die in intensive care, with a similar percentage of deaths when compared to hospice deaths. Some of these deaths are inevitable and involve withdrawing or withholding treatments. Evidence from academic papers worldwide shows that end-of-life care in intensive care could be improved through better communication with and involvement of relatives. I believe good endings are as important as beginnings and are vital for the wellbeing of those bereaved.

I hope that this Fellowship will enable me to produce best practice guidance and contribute to a cultural shift towards ensuring that there is provision for both family involvement and bereavement support in adult intensive care.

Acknowledgements

University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, The Ottawa Hospital, Canada, The Famirea group, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

Acknowledgements

University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, The Ottawa Hospital, Canada, The Famirea group, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

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