BACKGROUND: In the United Kingdom approaching 20% of people aged 85 years and over live in care homes and most will die there. Improving end-of-life care is a government health priority and homes may work with primary care staff and specialist palliative practitioners to provide comprehensive end-of-life care. Consequently effective collaboration between care home and health service practitioners is vital to ensure high quality end-of-life care. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of a training programme to improve end-of-life care in nursing homes, on collaboration between nursing home staff and other health practitioners. DESIGN: Evaluation using survey methods and qualitative case studies. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: All 95 nursing homes in the first national 'Gold Standards Framework in Care Homes' programme in England were invited to participate in the evaluation. METHODS: A survey of homes' characteristics, the approaches to end-of-life care, and liaison with other services, was completed pre and post programme implementation. Case studies were conducted in a sub-sample of 10 homes to provide important context and depth to the evaluation. RESULTS: Pre and post surveys were returned by 49 (52%) homes. Improved collaborations as a result of the programme were anticipated by 31% of managers. Challenges to collaboration included working with large numbers of general practitioners, out-of-hours services and access to specialist practitioners. Improved collaborations between home staff and health service practitioners were identified by 33% of managers as one of the main programme outcomes. Staff reported increased knowledge of end-of-life care, and enhanced confidence, which in turn resulted in improved communication and collaboration. Post-programme, staff felt more confident initiating contact and discussing residents' end-of-life care with general practitioners and those working in specialist palliative care services. CONCLUSIONS: The Gold Standards Framework in Care Homes programme can contribute towards end-of-life care by helping to improve the quality and quantity of communication and collaboration between nursing home staff and primary care and specialist practitioners. Further research is needed to determine why this was not consistent across all homes.
BACKGROUND: In the United Kingdom approaching 20% of people aged 85 years and over live in care homes and most will die there. Improving end-of-life care is a government health priority and homes may work with primary care staff and specialist palliative practitioners to provide comprehensive end-of-life care. Consequently effective collaboration between care home and health service practitioners is vital to ensure high quality end-of-life care. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of a training programme to improve end-of-life care in nursing homes, on collaboration between nursing home staff and other health practitioners. DESIGN: Evaluation using survey methods and qualitative case studies. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: All 95 nursing homes in the first national 'Gold Standards Framework in Care Homes' programme in England were invited to participate in the evaluation. METHODS: A survey of homes' characteristics, the approaches to end-of-life care, and liaison with other services, was completed pre and post programme implementation. Case studies were conducted in a sub-sample of 10 homes to provide important context and depth to the evaluation. RESULTS: Pre and post surveys were returned by 49 (52%) homes. Improved collaborations as a result of the programme were anticipated by 31% of managers. Challenges to collaboration included working with large numbers of general practitioners, out-of-hours services and access to specialist practitioners. Improved collaborations between home staff and health service practitioners were identified by 33% of managers as one of the main programme outcomes. Staff reported increased knowledge of end-of-life care, and enhanced confidence, which in turn resulted in improved communication and collaboration. Post-programme, staff felt more confident initiating contact and discussing residents' end-of-life care with general practitioners and those working in specialist palliative care services. CONCLUSIONS: The Gold Standards Framework in Care Homes programme can contribute towards end-of-life care by helping to improve the quality and quantity of communication and collaboration between nursing home staff and primary care and specialist practitioners. Further research is needed to determine why this was not consistent across all homes.
Authors: Bijal A Balasubramanian; Suzanne Heurtin-Roberts; Sarah Krasny; Catherine L Rohweder; Kayla Fair; Tanya T Olmos-Ochoa; Kurt C Stange; Sherri Sheinfeld Gorin Journal: J Am Board Fam Med Date: 2017 May-Jun Impact factor: 2.657
Authors: Lieve Van den Block; Elisabeth Honinx; Lara Pivodic; Rose Miranda; Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen; Hein van Hout; H Roeline W Pasman; Mariska Oosterveld-Vlug; Maud Ten Koppel; Ruth Piers; Nele Van Den Noortgate; Yvonne Engels; Myrra Vernooij-Dassen; Jo Hockley; Katherine Froggatt; Sheila Payne; Katarzyna Szczerbinska; Marika Kylänen; Giovanni Gambassi; Sophie Pautex; Catherine Bassal; Stefanie De Buysser; Luc Deliens; Tinne Smets Journal: JAMA Intern Med Date: 2020-02-01 Impact factor: 21.873
Authors: Libby Sallnow; Richard Smith; Sam H Ahmedzai; Afsan Bhadelia; Charlotte Chamberlain; Yali Cong; Brett Doble; Luckson Dullie; Robin Durie; Eric A Finkelstein; Sam Guglani; Melanie Hodson; Bettina S Husebø; Allan Kellehear; Celia Kitzinger; Felicia Marie Knaul; Scott A Murray; Julia Neuberger; Seamus O'Mahony; M R Rajagopal; Sarah Russell; Eriko Sase; Katherine E Sleeman; Sheldon Solomon; Ros Taylor; Mpho Tutu van Furth; Katrina Wyatt Journal: Lancet Date: 2022-02-01 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Annicka G M van der Plas; Martijn Hagens; H Roeline W Pasman; Bart Schweitzer; Marij Duijsters; Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen Journal: BMC Fam Pract Date: 2014-01-20 Impact factor: 2.497
Authors: S Kaasalainen; T Sussman; M Bui; N Akhtar-Danesh; R D Laporte; L McCleary; A Wickson Griffiths; K Brazil; D Parker; V Dal Bello-Haas; A Papaioannou; J O'Leary Journal: BMC Palliat Care Date: 2017-05-18 Impact factor: 3.234
Authors: Claire Goodman; Tom Dening; Adam L Gordon; Susan L Davies; Julienne Meyer; Finbarr C Martin; John R F Gladman; Clive Bowman; Christina Victor; Melanie Handley; Heather Gage; Steve Iliffe; Maria Zubair Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2016-07-16 Impact factor: 2.655