Palliative care clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) across care settings work within a multi-professional specialist palliative care service to offer support and symptom control to patients with life-threatening illness, and their families. Traditionally this CNS service had been available during working hours 5 days a week. In 2004, NICE Guidance on supportive and palliative care in cancer recommended the extension of this service to 7 days a week, acknowledging the likely need for ongoing face to face patient reviews across weekends.
However, the extent of that need was not defined, nor did it take account of the increasing non-cancer workload of these services. In subsequent years specialist teams across the UK have responded to the guidance by introducing 7 day - 09.00-17.00 - CNS working, acknowledging the significant challenges of addressing uncertain need, scarcity of resource and potential impact on other parts of service delivery.
The purpose of this rapid review is to examine how these challenges have been met, and whether there is evidence that particular models of 7 day CNS working best address the specific needs of patients and families within the context of overall care provision at weekends. The review has been requested as part of a local service evaluation to support and inform 7 day CNS working within Wales
