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Optimum hospice at home services for end-of-life care: protocol of a mixed-methods study employing realist evaluation

Butler, Claire, Brigden, Charlotte L., Gage, Heather, Williams, Peter, Holdsworth, Laura M., Greene, Kay, Wee, Wee, Barclay, Stephen, Wilson, Patricia M. (2018) Optimum hospice at home services for end-of-life care: protocol of a mixed-methods study employing realist evaluation. BMJ Open, 8 . Article Number e021192. ISSN 2044-6055. E-ISSN 2044-6055. (doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021192) (KAR id:67123)

Abstract

Introduction: Hospice at home (HAH) services aim to enable patients to be cared for and die in their place of choice, if that is at home, and to achieve a ‘good death’. There is a considerable range of HAH services operating in England. The published evidence focuses on evaluations of individual services which vary considerably, and there is a lack of consistency in terms of the outcome measures reported. The evidence, therefore, does not provide generalisable information, so the question ‘What are the features of hospice at home service models that work, for whom, and under what circumstances?’ remains unanswered. The study aims to answer this question. Methods and analysis: This is a mixed-methods study in three phases informed by realist evaluation methodology. All HAH services in England will be invited to participate in a telephone survey to enable the development of a typology of services. In the second phase, case study sites representing the different service types will collect patient data and recruit carers, service managers and commissioners to gather quantitative and qualitative data about service provision and outcomes. A third phase will synthesise and refine the results through consensus workshops.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021192
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies
Depositing User: Claire Butler
Date Deposited: 25 May 2018 08:31 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 17:14 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/67123 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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