CQC statement on the Liverpool Care Pathway

12 December 2012

The CQC has agreed this statement with other health and care regulators, about each organisation’s role and responsibilities in relation to the Liverpool Care Pathway.

The Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) is intended to alleviate suffering for people who are considered by a multiprofessional team to be close to death.

It is the duty of those professionals involved in the care of the dying, to work together as a team to determine, in association with the person and those close to them, when it is appropriate to implement the LCP. 

The relevant regulators need to be informed if any person believes the implementation of the LCP to be inappropriate.

By publishing this statement, we aim to clarify what each regulator's role and responsibilities are where issues and concerns of poor practice or professional misconduct are brought to our attention about the LCP. We also set out our expectations of the responsibility of clinical and other staff working in regulated services about what they should do as individuals if they witness malpractice or unprofessional conduct in their work place.

Issues and concerns of poor practice or professional misconduct should be brought to the attention of the relevant professional regulator or the health and adult social care regulator:

• The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) where they are about a registered nurse or midwife which may call into question his or her fitness to practise. Contact
• The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is the regulator of 16 professions. If any registrant has concerns about the performance or conduct of any colleagues that they work with, they should bring it to the attention of the relevant regulator. More information on how to raise a concern to the HCPC can be found on their website at
• The Care Quality Commission (CQC) where there any concerns and relevant information about a health or adult social care organisation in which health professionals practice which may call into question its registration. Please contact 03000 616161 or email enquiries@cqc.org.uk.

Please refer to the General Medical Council's (GMC) statement on the LCP and reference to their guidance.