The impact of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic on a hospital palliative care team

London was at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, with an exponential rise in hospital admissions from March 2020. This case study appraises the impact on and response of a hospital palliative care service based in a large inner-city teaching hospital. Referrals increased from a mean o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Future healthcare journal 2021, Vol.8 (1), p.62-64
Main Authors: Edmonds, Polly M, Sleeman, Katherine E, Lovell, Natasha, Chester, Rosemary, Towers, Richard P, Marshall, Stephen A, Higginson, Irene J, Bajwah, Sabrina, Prentice, Wendy
Format: Report
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:London was at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, with an exponential rise in hospital admissions from March 2020. This case study appraises the impact on and response of a hospital palliative care service based in a large inner-city teaching hospital. Referrals increased from a mean of 39 to 75 per week; deaths from 13 to 52 per week. Multiple actions were taken by the team to manage the surge in referrals, which have been categorised based on the 4S model: systems, space, stuff and staff. Several lessons are highlighted: need for flexible and responsive staffing over the 7-day week; implementing clear, accessible clinical guidance supported by ward-based teaching; benefits of integrating clinical practice with research; and the importance of maintaining team well-being and camaraderie to sustain change. Further evaluation is needed of the differential impact of changes made to inform service planning for future pandemics.
ISSN:2514-6645
DOI:10.7861/fhj.2020-0131