1 research outputs found
The imPaCT study: a randomised controlled trial to evaluate a hospital palliative care team
A randomised controlled trial was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of a hospital Palliative Care Team (PCT) on physical symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL); patient, family carer and primary care professional reported satisfaction with care; and health service resource use. The full package of advice and support provided by a multidisciplinary specialist PCT (âfull-PCTâ) was compared with limited telephone advice (âtelephone-PCTâ, the control group) in the setting of a teaching hospital trust in the SW of England. The trial recruited 261 out of 684 new inpatient referrals; 175 were allocated to âfull-PCTâ, 86 to âtelephone-PCTâ (2â:â1 randomisation); with 191 (73%) being assessed at 1 week. There were highly significant improvements in symptoms, HRQoL, mood and âemotional botherâ in âfull-PCTâ at 1 week, maintained over the 4-week follow-up. A smaller effect was seen in âtelephone-PCTâ; there were no significant differences between the groups. Satisfaction with care in both groups was high and there was no significant difference between them. These data reflect a high standard of care of patients dying of cancer and other chronic diseases in an acute hospital environment, but do not demonstrate a difference between the two models of service delivery of specialist palliative care