WELDMAR will help shape best for end of life care after becoming Dorset's regional centre for the Gold Standards Framework.

Responsibility was handed over to the trust's Hospice Education Alliance at a special event yesterday.

The Gold Standards Framework is a nationally-recognised system for identifying and ensuring the right support is given to patients who may be in their last year of life.

It has been a key factor in improving care given by GPs, community hospitals and nursing homes to those patients and their families.

The regional centre will cover Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Hampshire and Wiltshire and will to promote the system and support its use through expert training.

Until now responsibility has been held by NHS Dorset.

Caroline Sweetland, Weldmar’s lead education facilitator, said: "The programme can transform the care from the minute a resident comes into a care home, enabling residents to live and die well in the place and manner of their choosing.

"These aims fit with Weldmar Hospicecare Trust’s vision and mission to ensure all patients needing palliative care in Dorset have access to excellent services delivered when and where needed whether by Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, or by others supported by the Trust."

Weldmar works closely in alliance with nine other NHS and third sector end of life care providers across the South and South West.

Cath Granger, senior programme leader at Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: "By improving communication with patients we will be able to see what they want, and by knowing what they want we can look to achieve it."

Weldmar will be predominately focusing on the care home programme which aims to improve the quality of end of life care by improving collaboration with primary care teams and other palliative care specialists and reduces hospitalisation and hospital deaths by enabling more people to live and die at home.

Carol Walford, Weldmar's director of education, said: "We are delighted to be taking on such a respected framework for care. With care homes it will allow people to have a choice in their care. It's really about working together with other people to ensure the best possible care."

Karen Pearson, manager at Somerleigh Court, who recently received the Gold Standards Framework Award said: "The framework has been very valuable for the home because it has helped us make sure that the people we care for have the best possible standards of care."

The first care home programme will be starting on July 22 at the George Albert Hotel, Evershot, Dorchester.