Evaluation Of Pilgrims Hospices Rapid Response Hospice At Home Service: Summary of findings March 2015

When faced with a life-limiting illness, most people say they would prefer to spend the end of their lives and die at home. However, we know that about half the people with cancer or long-term illnesses still die in hospital. Fewer than a quarter die in their own home. Patients are often admitted to hospital because of a crisis such as uncontrolled symptoms, carer fear or stress, or not having medication available when needed. Community based palliative care teams can help in such situations.

In 2008 Pilgrims Hospices commissioned a review of the literature to understand what kinds of home care services provide the most benefit to patients at the end of their lives and their families. Though good quality evidence was scarce, the findings of the review suggested that successful services are able to respond rapidly, focus on supporting family carers at home and are available 24 hours a day seven days a week.

Following these conclusions, Pilgrims Hospices developed the Rapid Response Hospice at Home service (Hospice at Home) to support people who are at the end of life and would like to die at home. The Hospice at Home service operates in addition to established hospice community services and is staffed by healthcare assistants (HCAs) who have been trained at the hospice. The HCAs are available day and night at four hours' notice to support patients in the last days of their lives or when they experience a crisis.