Support Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Prospective Cohort Study of Proactive Palliative Care for Hospitalised Adults at Risk of Dying: Evaluation of Patient Outcomes and Hospital Costs
IRAS ID
220950
Contact name
Mary Miller
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This research aims to examine whether early exposure to hospital palliative care teams improves quality of life and symptom burden in patients with life-limiting conditions who present to hospital via the accident and emergency department. We are also interested in whether palliative medicine saves the acute sector money. Studies in America have already demonstrated this to be the case in the American system but we don't feel that their findings can be generalised to the UK health system. If we can show that hospital palliative care improves quality and is cost neutral or cost effective, then there will be a case for expansion of palliative care teams in the acute setting in the UK to improve care for patients with life-limiting conditions. Predicting prognosis is very difficult when patients present to hospital with a multitude of medical conditions. This study aims to be part of the validation of the CRiSTAL (Criteria for Screening and Triaging to Appropriate aLternative care) tool which aims to identify those patients with life-limiting conditions who should have access to palliative care services in hospital.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SC/0488
Date of REC Opinion
10 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion