Evaluation of a hospice paracentesis service
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative study exploring the experiences of people living with advanced liver disease and their caregivers attending a hospice for paracentesis services.
IRAS ID
349369
Contact name
Amara Nwosu
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Lancaster University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
People with advanced liver disease commonly experience ascites, a build-up of fluid in the abdomen (tummy), which can cause symptoms and may require removal by a procedure called ‘paracentesis’. There is a growing demand on NHS services with more people requiring paracentesis intervention. Through local collaborative working we offer paracentesis in the hospice at Marie Curie Liverpool, allowing patients flexibility and timely access to this intervention.
There is limited evidence around the experiences of patients receiving paracentesis intervention outside of a hospital setting. The aim of the study is to explore the experiences of people with advanced liver disease and their caregivers accessing paracentesis services in a hospice setting.
We will carry out semi-structured interviews with patients and caregivers attending paracentesis services within the hospice. We will structure interviews around three key themes identified in the literature: symptom control, personalised care and regular support.
We will use the results of this study to better understand the positive and negative experiences of service users, which we will use to inform local service improvements, to improve access, efficiency and patient experience. We will create a blueprint to outline the process of developing, and implementing, a paracentesis service in another hospice, outlining the future research and quality improvement work which is required to test the efficacy, and effectiveness, of the service model.
The findings from this study will provide greater understanding of the experiences of people living with advanced liver disease, and their caregivers, who are receiving care and treatment under the hospice service.
This work will create stronger collaborations between healthcare stakeholders in the North-West, involving the hospice, NHS trust and integrated care board, which will lead to improved patient care for people living with advanced liver disease.
This research is funded by the Marie Curie Small Research Grants Scheme.REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
25/WS/0084
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jun 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion