Heterogeneity - need for standardisation / flexibility

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for End of Life Care in the community. In order to support colleagues across the UK to adapt to the changes needed during these difficult times, we are undertaking a UK-wide study of policies and guidance concerning:

         1)    Anticipatory Prescribing and syringe drivers

         2)    End of Life medicines repurposing in care homes

         3)    Family carer administration of End of Life Care drugs

I would be grateful if you – or a colleague of yours - could send me the following if they are available in your area: policies, guidance, standard operating policies and patient information leaflets concerning:

         a)    Anticipatory prescribing at home and in care homes

         b)    Syringe drivers at home and in care homes

         c)    Repurposing of medicines at the end of life

         d)    Family carer administration of end of life care medicines

         e)    Other supporting documents concerning the above

It would be helpful to know if you have no such documents in your area

No organisations or individuals will be identifiable in presentations or publications arising from this research.

Thank you for your help: please forward this email to a colleague of yours if appropriate. Do get in touch if you would like further clarification: we look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Meg and Stephen

Megha Majumder, PhD student mm2426@medschl.cam.ac.uk

Professor Stephen Barclay sigb2@medschl.cam.ac.uk

Palliative and End of Life Care Research Group

University of Cambridge