Sally Hall1, Andrew Davies. 1. Department of Palliative Care, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, Surrey, England.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This report describes the activity of a new 7-day-per-week, nurse-led palliative care service in an acute district general hospital in the UK. METHODS: The service is based in a hospital with an integral cancer centre. On the weekends, one clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is present within the hospital, with a consultant providing telephone support. The data for this report was obtained by reviewing the team's clinical database and the patients' individual clinical assessments. RESULTS: During the first year, the CNSs undertook 651 face-to-face weekend consultations. Overall, 25% of the total consultations and 18% of new patient consultations were undertaken on the weekends. The primary reasons for reviewing patients on the weekends were pain (46%), other symptoms (27.5%), and patient on the Liverpool Care Pathway (17%). Overall, 23% of new patients died over the weekend or in the early hours of the Monday morning. CONCLUSIONS: This service evaluation provides evidence of the value of having a 7-day-per-week palliative care service in an acute district general hospital.
INTRODUCTION: This report describes the activity of a new 7-day-per-week, nurse-led palliative care service in an acute district general hospital in the UK. METHODS: The service is based in a hospital with an integral cancer centre. On the weekends, one clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is present within the hospital, with a consultant providing telephone support. The data for this report was obtained by reviewing the team's clinical database and the patients' individual clinical assessments. RESULTS: During the first year, the CNSs undertook 651 face-to-face weekend consultations. Overall, 25% of the total consultations and 18% of new patient consultations were undertaken on the weekends. The primary reasons for reviewing patients on the weekends were pain (46%), other symptoms (27.5%), and patient on the Liverpool Care Pathway (17%). Overall, 23% of new patients died over the weekend or in the early hours of the Monday morning. CONCLUSIONS: This service evaluation provides evidence of the value of having a 7-day-per-week palliative care service in an acute district general hospital.
Authors: Winne Ko; Luc Deliens; Guido Miccinesi; Francesco Giusti; Sarah Moreels; Gé A Donker; Bregje Onwuteaka-Philipsen; Oscar Zurriaga; Aurora López-Maside; Lieve Van den Block Journal: BMC Cancer Date: 2014-12-16 Impact factor: 4.430