Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

Patients are ‘approaching the end of life’ when they are likely to die within the next 12 months. This includes:

- those patients whose death is expected within hours or days;
- those who have advanced, progressive incurable conditions;
- those with general frailty and co-existing conditions that mean they are expected to die within 12 months;
- those at risk of dying from a sudden acute crisis in an existing condition;
- and those with life-threatening acute conditions caused by sudden catastrophic events.

The term ‘approaching the end of life’ can also apply to extremely premature neonates [defined as 'newborn infants (less than one month old)'] whose prospects for survival are known to be very poor, and patients who are diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) for whom a decision to withdraw treatment and care may lead to their death.