Integrating cardiac palliative care into practice—part two: development of a cardiac palliative care framework

Professional and public perceptions that active cardiac care options must be exhausted before palliative care can commence remain a barrier to optimal person-centred care throughout the heart failure trajectory. This article is the second of a three-part series, and describes the development of a cardiac supportive palliative care resource framework to guide professionals with the simultaneous integration of a cardiac and palliative care approach in clinical practice. The framework was developed in partnership with patient, carer and professional experts across the UK. It was designed to bridge the gap between evidence and practice (described in part one of this series) by supporting the integration of cardiac palliative care into everyday clinical practice. The framework also aims to raise awareness about what palliative care is and what it is not. It identifies core components of cardiac palliative care and promotes future care planning conversations using a ‘what matters’, person-centred, needs-based approach.