Issues in education provision for new hospice services for non-cancer patients

Frankland, Jane, Addington-Hall, Julia and Rogers, Angie (2007) Issues in education provision for new hospice services for non-cancer patients. 10th Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC), Budapest, Hungry. 07 - 09 Jun 2007.

Abstract

Aim: A potential barrier to the extension of specialist palliative care to non-cancer patients is the skill base of current palliative care specialists, which is commonly oncology related. Data from an evaluation of innovative hospice projects for non-cancer patients in the United Kingdom, funded by Help the Hospices, are used to consider the education and training needs of and provision for project staff. Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with a range of personnel within 4 case study projects, plus with key informants from a further 16 projects. Interviews were tape recorded, transcribed and analysed using a framework approach.
Results: Data show early concerns about noncancer skills and knowledge to be common among staff taking on this new role. The hospice projects provided education to their staff in a variety of ways, both formal and informal. Initial analysis suggests that on-going and informal education and support in practice are vital to knowledge and skills provision and confidence building.
Conclusion: Hospices who are working to extend palliative care to non-cancer patients need to set up mechanisms for continued education and support for staff in practice, to reinforce and extend formal education. Specialists from other relevant disciplines have an important role to play in this provision.

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Contributors

Author: Jane Frankland

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