Person-Centred Care: Principles and Practice Barriers (oral presentation). In: Enabling Person-Centred Care for Palliative Care Patients and Their Informal Carers: Definitions, Models of Practice and Implementation; invited session (Gunn Grande & Gail Ewing, moderators)

• Main Authors: Diffin, Janet, Öhlén, Joakim
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Nursing; Omvårdnad; Other Medical Sciences not elsewhere specified; Person-centred care; Övrig annan medicin och hälsovetenskap
• ISSN: 0269-2163; 1477-030X
• DOI: 10.1177/0269216319844405

Aim: Barriers to the implementation of person-centred care within pal- liative care practice have been identified for patients and family carers. A shared understanding of (i) the principles of person-centred care, and (ii) how to successfully implement person-centred interventions is there- fore required. This paper aims to to define the key principles of person- centred care and identify barriers and enablers to implementation success within palliative care practice. Methods: This paper brings together the international evidence on person-centred care, and reviews the enablers and barriers to imple- mentation within palliative care practice. It will draw on the experi- ences of the development of person-centred care practice and the implementation of the Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool inter- vention, a person-centred process of assessment and support for fam- ily carers. Results: Person-centred care is characterised by practitioners initiat- ing, working through and safeguarding a partnership ‘with’ patients and/or family carers. As such, a change in practice from a practi- tioner-led approach, to one which is led by a patient/family carer is often required. Implementation barriers at the individual level include viewing a person-centred approach as an ‘add-on’ to existing practice, and at the organisational level include a lack of managerial support and protected time. Training is therefore required for the individual practitioner to help them integrate this approach into their everyday practice, and for the organisation to ensure adequate prep- aration, and the establishment of a strategy to support implementa- tion. A team of practitioners within the organisation is needed to drive this implementation planning and ensure organisational readi- ness for change. Conclusions: The evidence presented provides vital lessons learned for implementation of person-centred interventions for patients or family carers within palliative care practice.