Living Well, Dying Well. a Research Programme to Support Living Until the End

Inclusion Criteria patients: * The patient is aware that recovering from his/her disease is unlikely, to be assessed by the attending physician * The attending physician would not be surprised if the patient were to die within 6 months * If the physician is uncertain about the surprise question, the patient is eligible if presenting with at least one SPICT indicator: General SPICT indicators: * Unplanned hospital admission * Performance status is poor or deteriorating, with limited reversibility (eg stays in bed or in a chair for more than half the day) * Depends on others for care due to increasing physical and/or mental health problems; person's carer needs more help and support * Progressive weight loss; remains underweight; low muscle mass * Persistent symptoms despite optimal treatment of underlying condition(s) * Person (or family) asks for palliative care; chooses to reduce, stop or not have treatment; or wishes to focus on quality of life Disease-specific SPICT indicators: Cancer: * Functional ability deteriorating due to progressive cancer * Too frail for cancer treatment or treatment is for symptom control Neurological disease: * Progressive deterioration in physical and/or cognitive function despite optimal therapy * Speech problems with increasing difficulty communicating and/or progressive difficulty with swallowing * Recurrent aspiration pneumonia; breathless or respiratory failure * Persistent paralysis after stroke with significant loss of function and…