Evaluation of a hospice rapid response community service: a controlled evaluation

Butler, Claire and Holdsworth, Laura M. and Coulton, Simon and Gage, Heather (2012) Evaluation of a hospice rapid response community service: a controlled evaluation. BMC Palliative Care, 11 (1). pp. 11-16. ISSN 1472-684X. (Full text available)

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Official URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-684X-11-11

Abstract

Abstract (provisional) Background While most people faced with a terminal illness would prefer to die at home, less than a third in England are enabled to do so with many dying in National Health Service hospitals. Patients are more likely to die at home if their carers receive professional support. Hospice rapid response teams, which provide specialist palliative care at home on a 24/7 on-call basis, are proposed as an effective way to help terminally ill patients die in their preferred place, usually at home. However, the effectiveness of rapid response teams has not been rigorously evaluated in terms of patient, carer and cost outcomes. Methods The study is a pragmatic quasi-experimental controlled trial. The primary outcome for the quantitative evaluation for patients is dying in their preferred place of death. Carers' quality of life will be evaluated using postal questionnaires sent at patient intake to the hospice service and eight months later. Carers' perceptions of care received and the patient's death will be assessed in one to one interviews at 6 to 8 months post bereavement. Service utilisation costs including the rapid response intervention will be compared to those of usual care. Discussion The study will contribute to the development of the evidence base on outcomes for patients and carers and costs of hospice rapid response teams operating in the community.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled keywords:	Rapid response service, Hospice at home, Pragmatic trial, Preferred place of death, Palliative care
Subjects:	H Social Sciences H Social Sciences > HA Statistics H Social Sciences > HM Sociology R Medicine > RT Nursing
Divisions:	Faculties > Social Sciences > School of Social Policy Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies
Depositing User:	Paula Loader
Date Deposited:	03 Aug 2012 12:43
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2014 14:29
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/30001 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)