Liverpool Care Pathway - "Outlaw The Liverpool Care Pathway" ~ Motion Carried

The outrage of relatives, family members, loved ones, persists, and will persist. Distress only strengthens resolve and the will to resist.



The call for action against the LCP is a groundswell of opposition. This is the CWU Retired Members Conference Agenda -

Section II: National Issues – Motion 2-14  

Here is CWU South and East Thames Amal branch motion to conference -

"That this conference instructs the Retired Members Advisory Committee to pursue the following policy to work with the NEC to outlaw the Liverpool Care Pathway and to note the concern of doctors and distressed families over the use of the Liverpool Care Pathway and to look into how this official guideline can be changed so that patients judged to be dying are not left without treatment – food or fluids without prior consent of the patient or family."

This Motion dealt with what has become known as the Liverpool Care Pathway. This is a practice where patients that are judged to be dying are left without treatment, food or fluids. The Motion called for the RMAC to work with the NEC to outlaw this practice, unless there is an agreement with both the patient and their family.

This was carried. [CWU]

West London branch motion to conference concerns intimidation of whistle-blowers who raise issue with the CQC -

"This Conference notes that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in relation to care for the elderly is not fit for purpose. The CQC Board and the organisation need to be restructured so that there are no Board members with any financial interest in the provision of care for the elderly, including Board members of Private Care providers, preventing any conflict of interest. 

This conference further notes that the Inspectorate Service should be given powers to issue improvement notices to be complied with within 30 days; the next stage being able to instigate closure of the home with all costs incurred, including movement of patients, to be borne by the provider. There should be, additionally, a provision for anonymity for relatives and care home workers, who wish to make a complaint, to do so without fear of reprisal. 

This conference therefore instructs the Retired Members Advisory Committee, with the assistance of the NEC, to organise a mass campaign within the Trade Union and wider Labour movement to obtain these objectives."

West London submitted this motion which said; the Care Quality Commission is not fit for purpose in relation to the care for the elderly. It said that the Commission should be restructured so that there are no Board Members who have a financial interest in the Care of the Elderly, this would ensure that there is no conflict of interest. The mover said that inspections of Care Homes have fallen by 60% over that past year. He went on to say that the Inspectorate Service should be given the powers to issue improvement notices that should be completed in 30 days. The Motion instructed the RMAC to campaign within the Trade Union and wider Labour movement to obtain these objectives.

The motion was carried and selected to be submitted to the Unions General Conference. [CWU]