Providing palliative care in primary care: how satisfied are GPs and district nurses with current out-of-hours arrangements?
The complex needs of palliative care patients require an informed, expert, and swift response from out-of-hours general medical services, particularly if hospital admission is to be avoided. Few general practitioners (GPs) reported routinely handing over information on their palliative care patients, particularly to GP co-operatives. District nurses and inner-city GPs were least satisfied with aspects of out-of-hours care. Most responders wanted 24-hour availability of specialist palliative care. This indicates a need to develop and evaluate out-of-hours palliative care procedures and protocols, particularly for GP co-operatives, and to improve inter-agency collaboration.
Shipman
C
C
Department of Palliative Care and Policy, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, London. catherine.shipman@kcl.ac.uk
Addington-Hall
J
J
Barclay
S
S
Briggs
J
J
Cox
I
I
Daniels
L
L
Millar
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D004739:England; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009551:Night Care; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*