At GSF, we are fortunate to learn from a wide range of professionals who are helping to improve end of life care across the UK. Last week, Dr Emma Clare from End of Life Doula UK joined one of our microlearning sessions for GSF Accredited teams, sharing insights into the growing role of end of life doulas and the difference they make to people, families and communities.
Most of us have heard of birth doulas, but fewer people are familiar with end of life doulas.
When someone is approaching the end of their life, there is much more to think about than medical care alone. Alongside appointments and treatment decisions come practical challenges, emotional conversations and the need for support, reassurance, understanding, and preparation.
This is where end of life doulas can make a real difference.
End of Life Doula UK (EoLDUK) is a charity and professional membership organisation that supports people through dying, death and bereavement. Its members, currently numbering around 450 doulas, work alongside existing health and care services, offering personalised support that reflects the wishes and needs of each individual and family. The charity acts as a point of contact for people seeking end of life doula support in the UK and welcomes self-referrals and referrals from relatives, friends, and healthcare professionals with consent of the person.
One of the most valuable things a doula can offer is time. Time to listen, time to understand what matters to someone, and time to support families through what can be an emotional and uncertain period.
Their support can take many forms. It may involve helping someone organise practical matters, providing a listening ear, supporting difficult conversations, advocating for the person’s wishes, or helping families feel more confident navigating the challenges that often come with end of life care.
Importantly, end of life doulas complement rather than replace healthcare professionals. They work alongside services to help ensure that the person’s wishes remain at the centre of care and that families feel supported every step of the way.
This complementary way of collaborating has been highlighted in 3 NHS-EoLDUK collaborative projects which saw end of life doula support commissioned alongside local hospice, hospital, and GP surgery support. You can read more about EoLDUK’s Leeds, Kingston & Richmond, and Sutton & Merton Projects on their website including full evaluation reports.
In our microlearning session Emma emphasised how doulas’ impact comes from their role outside of the formal system – this enables doulas to effectively advocate for the person they are supporting and makes their support uniquely flexible. End of life doulas are able to support continuity of care through their often long-term relationship with a person and family, whilst the support they provide changes and ‘flexes’ as the person’s needs change.
For this reason, EoLDUK encourage collaborative projects between themselves and other services involving EoLDUK mentoring doulas through their association, rather than end of life doulas being directly employed by formal services. By working with EoLDUK, care providers can be assured that doulas have also been DBS checked, have appropriate insurance, are safeguarding trained, and working in accordance with a code of practice.
Dr Clare also highlighted the wider work being carried out by End of Life Doula UK to encourage more open conversations about dying, death and grief. Through community events, workshops and education, the organisation is helping to build confidence, compassion, and caring capacity within communities, making it easier for people to support one another through some of life’s most challenging times.
At GSF, we believe that high-quality end of life care is most effective when it is person-centred, coordinated and delivered in partnership. The work of End of Life Doula UK is a powerful example of how additional support around the individual and their family can enhance care and improve experiences at the end of life.
We would like to thank Dr Emma Clare for sharing her knowledge and experience with our GSF Accredited teams and for highlighting the important contribution that end of life doulas make across the UK.
Holding Space is a powerful documentary that provides a glimpse into the work of end of life doulas, following the conversations and connections between people nearing the end of their lives and those supporting them. The film explores themes of preparation, reflection, connection and what it means to let go.
For more information, visit: www.eol-doula.uk or email: operations@eol-doula.uk.