Palliative care outsourced to the voluntary sector at two trusts

Source: The Guardian

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Date: July 2011

Publication type: Web article

In a nutshell: This article discusses the transfer of specialist palliative care services to charities from 2 NHS trusts. The drive to outsource palliative care comes from the Department of Health’s transforming community services programme, which in 2009 instructed primary care trusts to stop directly providing services. While some PCTs opted to transfer responsibility for palliative care to foundation trusts or community foundation trusts, Rotherham and Berkshire West outsourced to the voluntary sector.

Training aimed at complex needs

Source: Nursing Standard 2011, vol.25(35), p62-3

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Date: May 2011

Publication type: Article

Publication length: 2 pages

In a nutshell: This article describes the work of the charity Demelza in providing family-orientated hospice care for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Kent, East Sussex and south east London. The work of nurses in the community palliative teams who provide care for children at home is also highlighted.

Some important notes: An NHS Athens password is required to access this article online. Follow this link to register for an Athens password.

New approach to palliative care for heart failure patients in Glasgow & Clyde

Source: British Heart Foundation

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Date of publication: March 2011

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: Marie Curie Cancer Care, British Heart Foundation Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde are working collaboratively on Caring Together, a programme for patients with heart failure. The goal is to improve the quality and access to palliative care services for any patients in the advanced stages of heart failure. The 5 year programme aims to develop an innovative approach to service delivery in all care settings including hospital, hospice, care home and at home.

Acknowledgement: End of Life Care for Adults website

Dying well matters: one Wales 3 years on. 2008-2011

Source:  Welsh Assembly Government 

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Date of publication: March 2011

Publication type:  Report

In a nutshell:   This report highlights the progress of the work of the Palliative Care Implementation board in Wales over a 3 year period.  Progress includes:

• Wales-wide full-time access to specialist palliative care 
• adequate funding for hospices providing specialist palliative care on behalf of the NHS
• provision of training within primary care teams focussing on clinical skills and referrals
• development of  an electronic patient information system
• systematic capture of patients’ feedback which is used to improve services.

2010-11  ringfenced funding of £6.888 million will be maintained for 2011-12.

Length of publication: 33 pages

 Acknowledgement: National End of Life Care Programme website.

NHS Evidence QIPP, case study: End of Life Care

Source:  NHS Evidence

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Date of publication:  November 2010

Publication type:  Case Study

In a nutshell:  The objective of this collaborative working between nursing and AHP staff working for Thames Hospicecare, an independent hospice and Berkshire East Community Services was to improve qualified staff competence and confidence in delivering end of life care (EoLC) for patients in a community hospital setting.  

Current emphasis is on providing EoLC in communities rather than the acute setting but this is not always achievable or what the patient wants. Utilising community hospitals can be a more cost-effective option and also enable the local hospice inpatient unit to focus on providing complex care for patients who need it.  The case study explicitly shows the evidence of success in terms of financial and quality of care benefits.

Length of publication:  9 pages

A retrospective analysis of preferred and actual place of death for hospice patients.

 Source:  International Journal of Palliative Nursing  2010, 16 (9) p.424-30 

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Date of publication: September 2010

Publication type: Article

In a nutshell:  Research comparing the preferred and actual place of death of hospice patients. The article focussed on results of a retrospective analysis of patients’ records over a 6-month period and on possible reasons why some patients’ preferences were not recorded. The suitability of preferred place of death as an outcome measure in quality evaluations of palliative care services is considered and recommendations made.

Length of publication: 7 pages

Some important notes:  This article is available in full text to all NHS Staff using Athens, for more information about accessing full text follow this link to find your local NHS Library

Acknowledgement: BNI

Happier Endings

Source: Nursing Standard, 2010, 25(5) p24-5

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Date of Publication: October 2010

Publication Type: Article

In a nutshell: The nurse-led Ty Hafan children’s hospice in Wales has pioneered an approach to end of life care adopted by other NHS bodies in Wales. Development of a pack of guidelines to help each family and child tailor their care, provision of a hydrotherapy pool, a multi-sensory room, pet therapy and specific activities for teenagers are described.

Length of Publication: 2 pages

Some important notes: This article is available in full text to all NHS Staff using Athens, for more information about accessing full text follow this link to find your local NHS Library

Developing a nurse led hospice outpatient clinic to improve palliative care services

Source:  Nursing times website 

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Date of publication: August 2010

Publication type:  Article

In a nutshell:   This article describes the work of a team of palliative care clinical nurse specialists at a Hospice in Surrey.  The team set up a hospice based outpatient clinic with an aim of improving services for patients with cancer.  The article examines how the team used various methods to evaluate the service and make recommendations for the future development of the clinic.  

Length of publication:  7 pages

Review: Cultural conceptualizations of hospice palliative care: more similarities than differences

Source:  Palliative Medicine, 2010, 24, (5), p.510-523

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Date of publication: July, 2010

Publication type:  Article

In a nutshell:  The role of culture is significant in hospice palliative care (HPC).  The article describes and critically appraises the findings of a literature synthesis of 15 qualitative studies about the conceptualization of HPC among culturally diverse populations. Three main themes emerge:

• that HPC should attend to the physical, psychosocial and spiritual aspects of death and dying
• the ideal HPC provider demonstrates excellent knowledge and expertise about end-of-life care, and is respectful, genuine and compassionate
• that HPC should include a range of resources that alleviate the potential burdens associated with end-of-life care.

Findings suggest that expectations regarding the scope of HPC across ethnic and cultural groups have more similarities than differences to the goals of mainstream HPC. 

Length of publication:  14 pages

Some important notes:  This article is available in full text to all NHS Staff using Athens, for more information about accessing full text follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

End of life care: a rapid response hospice at home service

Source: Nursing Older People Vol. 22(4) p22-2

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Date: May 2010

Publication type: Article

In a nutshell: This article reports on a rapid response hospice at home service piloted by Sue Ryder Care. The project supported 17 patients to die in their own homes. Evaluation of the project will be shared with the local primary care trust in the hope that it will continue to fund the service. Other community-based models of end of life care that the charity has developed are outlined.

Some important notes: If you do not have an NHS Athens password, please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article.  Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Acknowledgements: MEDLINE

A fast track path improves access to palliative care for people with learning disabilities.

Source:  Nursing Times v106(19) p13-4

Date: May 2010

Publication type: Article

In a nutshell: People with learning disabilities often experience inequalities in accessing general health services. This group, their families and carers need access to effective palliative care when facing a life limiting illness. This article describes the development and implementation of a fast track referral pathway for people with learning disabilities at St Francis Hospice in Essex. Our aim is to share this pathway so others can replicate the collaborative working to improve access to palliative care services for this group.

Publication length: 2 pages

Some important notes: This article is not available online, contact you local health library for a copy of this article. Follow this link to find your local health library.

Acknowledgements: MEDLINE

The Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme

Title:  The Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme.

Source:  European Journal of Palliative Care, 2009 16,6 p290-4

Date of publication:  November 2009

Publication type:  Article

In a nutshell:  A review of the Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme.   Examples of projects using the programme are reviewed with particular focus on the results of an independent evaluation of the 1st project in Lincolnshire.  In their conclusion the authors stress the importance of a ‘whole-system’ approach to the provision of end of life care.

Length of publication: 4 pages

Some important notes:   Please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Acknowledgement:  BNI

Hospice service based on bus in Brentwood, Essex.

Source: communitycare.co.uk

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Date: 12 November 2009

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: A mobile hospice is taking end-of-life care into the community in Essex. Due to the loss of their rented accommodation, Farleigh Hospice began to operate mobile hospice services from the back of a bus and the Hospice Outreach Project (Hop) was devised. Its principles were in line with the government’s End of Life Care Strategy. Published in July 2008, it emphasises the need to improve access to care for people with life-limiting conditions and improve the profile of end-of-life care in local communities.

Acknowledgements: Farleigh Hospice Outreach Project (Hop)

Diversity topics tackled with new toolkit for children’s hospice services

Source: Children’s Hospices UK

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Date of Publication: October 2009

Publication Type: Website

In a nutshell: A new toolkit was launched 12 October to help children’s hospice services address the challenges and barriers faced in delivering services to children, young people and families from diverse communities. The Children’s Hospices UK Diversity Toolkit aims to equip children’s hospices with the knowledge and expertise needed to provide for families from all cultures and backgrounds, no matter what their beliefs and customs.

Acknowledgement: Children’s Hospices UK