Sharing Current Scottish Practice

01. A Critical Investigation of the Outcomes of Specialist Palliative Day Services on Specific Components of Attendee Quality Of Life: A Mixed Methods Study

Author(s)

Belinda Dewar; Jean Rankin; Elaine Stevens

This was a two-phase, convergent mixed methods study. The 20-week quantitative phase utilised the EQ5D-3L, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Life Attitude Profile-Revised and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (n=21) to measure aspects of quality of life. The exploratory qualitative phase employed individual Emotional Touchpoint interviews (n=15) to investigate the lived experience of attending Specialist Palliative Day Services (SPDS). Convergent findings revealed death anxiety was triggered at point of referral and continued for some across the study period. Convergent findings identified that self-esteem and mood were stable and remained within normal parameters, while partially convergent findings established that functional ability and symptoms were moderately affected by illness and did not vary in severity. Partially divergent findings determined meaning in life varied over time and was low in some across the study period. SPDS supports normal self-esteem, mood and acceptable levels symptom burden. However, SPDS does not appear to have an impact on meaning in life in all attendees. Consequently, SPDS did not have a positive impact on overall quality of life of all participants. To remedy this SPDS should be provided through a rehabilitative framework which focuses on providing expert palliative care within each domain of quality of life. Research should further explore the components of meaning in life and how SPDS may support the existential well-being of all attendees.

02. A road less travelled

Author(s)

Maria Banks; Jill Graham; Andy McClafferty; Ruth McGillvrary; Billy McGuigan; Chris Richford; Heather Robertson.

This poster is a visual representation of a 2-year improvement project on recognising dying and delivering end of life care in NHS mental health complex care wards in Renfrewshire. Driven by the desire of staff to continuously improve this area of practice, in line with the dementia strategy and standards and the Strategic Framework for Action.

In the wards a baseline survey was undertaken with multidisciplinary teams to identify challenges encountered in palliative and end of life care. Survey results informed the introduction of:

• 2 x Palliative Resource Nurses per ward who were trained and supported

• Training packages for multidisciplinary staff

• An adapted SBAR to record ACP

• SPAR to facilitate improved care in collaboration with ACCORD Hospice.

Initial evaluation of PRN role and SBAR are very positive. SPAR has recently been implemented and initial feedback following training and early use is positive, however it too early to fully evaluate.

The project supported:

• development of skills and knowledge

• integrated working between specialist mental health and palliative care supporting shared

learning

• discovering a common language to improve MDT and family and carers communication.

Ongoing work will include ward environment, staff support and resilience.

03. A 'Vicious Cycle' of Heart Failure Care

Author(s)

Dr Karen Higginbotham; Em Prof Martin Johnson; Prof Ian Jones

Aim:

The aim of this study was to explore the decision-making process between healthcare professionals and patients in an acute medical setting when it came to making end of life decisions.

Method:

A constructivist grounded theory was conducted over a 12-month period in a District General Hospital in the North West of England. A purposeful sample of 15 nurses, 11 doctors and 16 patients were recruited from the acute medical setting. Data was collected using semi structured interviews and focus groups. The interviews were recorded and transcribed and data was analysed using the constant comparison and QSR NVivo.

Findings:

Four theoretical categories emerged from the data to explain how healthcare professionals and patients negotiated the process of decision making when considering end of life care. These four categories; signposting symptoms, organising care, being informed and recognising dying were found to revolve around a core category ‘vicious cycle of care’ which was fast paced, turbulent and time limited. This cycle was found to disable the process of decision making between the healthcare professional and patient resulting in missed opportunity for the patient to transition to palliative care.

Conclusion:

The emerging theory ‘vicious cycle of care’ offers an explanation as to why decisions were not made by healthcare professionals to transition patients with end stage heart failure to palliative care. Further work needs to be undertaken with healthcare professionals and patients to map out a ‘cycle of care’ which identifies key stages in the terminal stage of heart failure and correctly signposts the patient to the right healthcare care professional for intervention. Further research is required with General Practitioners to further explore the barriers to providing end of life care for heart failure patients.

04. Bereavement in Prisons

Author(s)

Hannah Campbell-McLean

In November 2017, funding was provided from Good Life, Good Death Good Grief to host an event in HMP Kilmarnock which provided the population of HMP Kilmarnock with the opportunity to remember loved ones who had died. The event was called 'absent friends'. This was delivered by means of a coffee morning and was organised by NHS and various Serco staff members including chaplaincy services, education and the Serco senior management team. Outside speakers were invited in to talk about death and dying including Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, Seasons for Growth and the MacMillan Palliative Care co-ordinator for prisons.

Conversations were facilitated at small tables and provided a safe environment for prisoners to have open and honest conversations about people that they have loved and lost and allowed for prisoners to reflect on the way that made them feel while in prison. This event was very well received by the prison population and it was evident that there is not enough support in HMP Kilmarnock for prisoners who have been bereaved or indeed suffered loss. This then lead for further funding from the NHS Endowment Fund for monies for training for staff in the Seasons for Growth programme

05. Brief Engagement and Acceptance Coaching for Community and Hospice Settings (the BEACHeS Study): Protocol for the development and pilot testing of an evidence-based psychological intervention to enhance wellbeing and aid transition into palliative care

Author(s)

Anne Finucane; David Gillanders; Sue Millington; Sabrina Norwood; Juliet Spiller; Jenny Strachan; Brooke Swash; Nicholas J Hulbert-Williams

Background:

Globally, cancer affects millions of individuals, with a mortality rate of over 8 million per year. Although palliative care is often provided outside of specialist services, many people do, at some point in their illness journey, require support from specialist palliative care services. This transition can be a time of uncertainty and fear and there is a need for effective interventions to meet the psychological and supportive care needs of patients with cancer at this time in their illness. While Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to be effective across diverse health problems, robust evidence for its effectiveness in palliative cancer populations is not extensive.

Method:

This study uses mixed-methods, in a single case experimental design, to pilot test a novel intervention for this patient group. Approx. 14 patients will be recruited from two hospices in England and Scotland. Participants will receive five face-to-face manualised sessions with a psychological therapist. Sessions are structured around teaching core ACT skills of Openness, Awareness and Engagement, as a way to deal effectively with challenges of transition.

Discussion:

The current study is the first investigating ACT with terminally ill patients at the beginning of their transition from curative to palliative treatment.

06. Building Blocks of End of Life Care

Author(s)

B Jackson, B Johnston, J McPeake

The aim of the review was to ascertain what information and resources bereaved families and friends required before the death of a relative or friend in an acute hospital setting. This rapid systematic mixed method review was conducted from November 2017 to March 2018. The following six data bases were searched: CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PUB MED, PsychINFO AND WEB of Science. The initial search generated 432 articles, then 26 full text papers were read of which 9 met the inclusion criteria. The selected papers were then evaluated using Hawker et al (2002) and no papers were excluded following the assessment. The themes were extracted using techniques of conceptual analysis and ideas mapping Popay et al (2006). Communication at end of life was found to be variable even within the same clinical area. Relative and friends were expecting health care staff to be available 24/ 7 and have the skills to deliver end-of-life care as it was in an acute hospital. Staff attitudes and beliefs related to patients dying in acute care requires further study.