Palliative Care in HSCT study V1.0

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Assessing patient attitudes to and experiences of early palliative care around the time of haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT)

  • IRAS ID

    276519

  • Contact name

    Joanne Droney

  • Contact email

    joanne.droney@rmh.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Royal Marsden Hospital

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 10 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    Increasingly, early palliative care is introduced alongside standard oncology treatment in order to improve patient quality of life. However, patients with blood cancers are likely to be referred later to palliative care services. Patients undergoing stem cell transplant are likely to experience significant symptoms related both to their treatment and to their underlying disease. In many cases, they also have a significant risk of life-threatening side effects. For these patients, early palliative care aims to provide symptom control and offer advance care planning.

    This is a mixed-method study with three workstreams, aimed at determining patient attitudes to and experiences of early palliative care (EPC) for patients considered for haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). This is to determine potential impact of a new EPC service for patients prior to HSCT.

    Workstream 1 involves face to face, phone or video interviews with patients considered for HSCT or two months following HSCT. These aim to determine qualitative attitudes of patients towards EPC in a population eligible for the new EPC service.

    Workstream 2 involves focus groups with patients who have undergone HSCT at least 6 months ago. These aim to determine qualitative attitudes of patients towards EPC in a population with longer-term experience of HSCT.

    Workstream 3 involves patient feedback surveys with patients seen by the new EPC service.

  • REC name

    London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    20/LO/0526

  • Date of REC Opinion

    1 Jun 2020

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion