Specialist palliative care in care homes: Integrating care could improve quality of life and reduce costs (Pilot study)

Abstract

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life Care sets out a vision of universal access to palliative care by 2021. This includes individuals, families and carers having timely and focused conversations with appropriately skilled professionals to plan end of life care, in accordance with their needs and preferences. The vision will be achieved by widening the range of health and care staff providing palliative care, delivering appropriate training, and supporting clinical and health economic evaluations of palliative and end of life care models. Despite care homes being a key location where older people die, access to specialist palliative care is limited. Staff often feel inadequately trained or prepared to look after people who are dying. Consequently, care home residents are more likely to die in hospital, with uncontrolled symptoms, or without adequate care planning in place.