Costs and effect of UK palliative care day services
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Costs and effect of UK Palliative Care Day Services: a three-centre study of impact upon patients and close persons
IRAS ID
192949
Contact name
George Kernohan
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, months, days
Research summary
Due to the numbers of people living with cancer and other chronic illness, there is an increasing demand for supportive and palliative care. Over recent years there has been a trend towards providing this care in the community, including as a day service. Evidence suggests that Palliative Care Day Services have a positive influence across the four domains of palliative care identified by the World Health Organisation (physical, social, psychological and spiritual). There is also some evidence that people attending have fewer referrals to other health services.
However, there is limited high quality evidence on the costs and effects of attending Day Services. We aim to provide this evidence by undertaking a study across three sites in the UK (Belfast, Edinburgh and West Midlands). We will generate robust quantitative data by administering a series of questionnaires on quality of life and well-being to patients attending, as well as to those close to them. We will administer these questionnaires at three different points in time: when patients first attend, at 4 weeks attendance and at 8 weeks attendance. In addition, where possible, in a subset of patients still attending, a third follow-up point will be used to obtain long-term data at 12 weeks after baseline. This will allow us to identify the impact of attendance over time on patients and those close to them. We will also collect data on the costs of attendance, including in relation to use of other services.REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0100
Date of REC Opinion
9 May 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion