Authors: Annette Heffernan (SouthDoc), Dr Terence Adendorff (SouthDoc), Dr Eamonn Shanahan (GP, SouthDoc region), Dr Fiona Kiely, Dr Paul Gregan (GP and Pall Care Consultant), Marie Lynch (IHF), Tony Duffy (IHF), Deirdre Shanagher (IHF)

96% of Irish GPs stated that they would value a standardised means of palliative care information

transfer to the Out Of Hours (OOH) team (Kiely, 2013). This was also identified as a key priority in the 2011

Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF), Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and the Health Service

Executive (HSE) report, Primary Palliative Care in Ireland .

• In 2012, the Primary Palliative Care Programme commenced a project with SOUTHDOC OOH

service to develop such an information transfer process. A GP OOH Palliative Care handover form

was developed and pre-piloted by SouthDoc in 2013.

This poster will outline the results of the pre-pilot addressing form usage; process mapping and

views of stakeholders

Refining the GP Out-of-Hours

Palliative Care Handover Form

Introduction

Next Steps

1. A full pilot project is planned in SouthDdoc (April – Sept 2014).

2. A guidance document & leaflet will be developed to

support implementation

• The handover form has been redesigned. Version 2 has

been condensed from three pages to one.

• The number of data items to complete has been reduced

from 59 to 34. (Data may still be completed on the form in the ‘additional

information’ section

• The overall operating process has been streamlined.

Outcomes

Pre Pilot Results Pre Pilot Methods

1.To undertake a process mapping

exercise to ensure quality & safety &

outline the steps of the process.

2. Analysis of data field completion

3. Qualitative feedback from

stakeholders.

Quantitative Results

• 17 forms were received by SouthDoc

• 12 forms were activated (ie patient contact with SouthDoc)

• Field completion rate varied. Diagnosis completed 88% of

time & CPR status 88% of time.

• Information on forms:

For further details contact marie.lynch@hospicefoundation.ie; deirdre.shanagher@hospicefoundation.ie or www.hospicefoundation.ie

May 2014

3. A full evaluation of the work will be designed for pilot

4. An awareness campaign will be undertaken to

encourage national roll out.

Qualitative Results

• GPs in the pre pilot expressed the need for a

user friendly form that could be sent via fax.

• GPs requested a shorter form be developed.

• SouthDoc requested that a mechanism be introduced to

minimise transciber error that would support efficiency

also.

Place of Death 6 RIP @Home 1 RIP in

nursing home

10 Death not

indicated

Intervention 8 Medication

management

5 No

intervention

4 symptom

management