Jonathan Ellis, director of public policy at Help the Hospices, said:
"We welcome this latest guidance as a vital resource that will help put patients’ needs and wishes at the centre of doctors’ decision-making at this incredibly difficult time. Involving patients and their families in clinical decision-making at the end of life can often feel overwhelming for doctors, yet there is only one chance for them to get it right.
"The GMC guidance emphasises the importance of sensitive communication and outlines key ethical principles. We believe that it will help to support doctors in the many uncertainties and ethical dilemmas that come into focus when caring for people towards the end of life.
"Although the guidance is aimed at doctors, it will be valuable to the whole multidisciplinary team caring for people at the end of their lives. It’s vital that all staff – including social workers, nurses and non-clinical staff – have the skills to work sensitively with patients and their families at such a critical time."
