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Patients who are in their death bed should be given more love and care, according to a new report.

Researchers from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) have recommended that all hospital doctors should improve the care they give to patients at the end of their lives.

Researchers, who conducted a survey, found that only one-third of the respondents had attended any learning event on end of life care in the last five years. This is very disappointing because the recent focus on end of life care is very little.

"While doctors always aim to do their best for their patients, for a variety of reasons, some physicians are not delivering the best care in the last phase of life. A quarter of a million people die in hospitals in England every year. All physicians must be supported to improve their skills in caring for patients facing the end of life," said Dr Fiona Hicks, consultant in palliative medicine and chair of the RCP's working party on improving end of life care.

According to the researchers, there is demand from doctors for continued professional development in end of life care. Doctors reported a lack of support by their trusts to provide this type of training for them and other health care staff. Trusts need to embed end of life care into routine practice for all staff.

Researchers have given a few recommendations to the trust boards to deliver high-quality care at the end of life a priority for their organisations. These recommendations will help the physicians to deliver the best care in the last phase of the patient's life.

Linda Patterson, clinical vice-president of the Royal College of Physicians, said patients are often at their most vulnerable when facing the end of their lives. At this time, patients need care and compassion. Physicians must be able to facilitate shared decisions with patients when possible, and wherever possible ensure that the patient's preferences are met, she said.

According to her, the new report provides excellent tools for physicians to help them improve the care they give patients at the end of their lives. She urged trusts to embed high quality end of life care into the culture of all hospitals.