Hospice inpatient care models: cross-sectional inequality survey.

Autor:	Tween S; Department of Primary Care, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Truro, UK suzanne.tween@nhs.net., Smith RW; Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Taunton, UK., Chamberlain C; Department of Supportive and Palliative Care, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK., Gibbins J; Department of Palliative Medicine, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Bodmin, UK.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	BMJ supportive & palliative care [BMJ Support Palliat Care] 2024 Jul 02. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 02.
DOI:	10.1136/spcare-2024-005019
Abstrakt:	Objectives: Hospices provide a range of services including inpatient units (IPUs) and care in people's homes. 40 000-50 000 patients use IPUs in the UK per year. Little published data exist on IPU models. This paper explores the structure and funding of IPU across the Southwest (SW) of England (population 5.6 million), alongside impact of COVID-19. Methods: An electronic survey of all 13 IPUs. Data collated, tabulated and compared with national commissioning guidance. Results: A 92% survey response rate revealed large variation in bed availability per 250 000 of SW population: 2.5-18.2. Referrals and admissions per IPU bed per year ranged from 16 to 38.2 (or 39-127 per 100 000 population) and 21.7 (mean), respectively. There was significant workforce variability: 1.3-12.7 nurses per 7.5 hospice beds, 1.2-7.2 consultants per 20 hospice beds, varying multidisciplinary team members with many unfilled posts. National Health Service (NHS) funding ranged from 10% to 75% of total costs. During COVID-19, 4 of 12 hospices reduced bed capacity, while half described increased integration with other teams outside of the hospice. Conclusion: There is significant regional variability suggesting inequality in hospice bed availability per 250 000 population. There is also considerable variability in workforce, alongside the proportion of NHS funding. Such variability implies little is known about the optimal IPU model. This provides new meaningful information about the structure and funding of hospices, with further research needed to consider these differences on the impact on patient and family experiences and outcomes. The sustainability and opportunities of integration and collaboration across care settings are also paramount. Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors have interest in sustainable funding models and well-functioning SPCTs, where their income is dependent on NHS and/or charitable funding. (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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