The evaluation of the Marie Curie Cancer Care Delivering Choice Programme (DCP) in Somerset also found that carers highly valued the programme, reporting that the DCP services allowed them a break from their full-time caring role and reduced their anxieties.
The evaluation, carried out by the University of Bristol, found that people receiving a DCP service were 67% less likely to die in hospital in North Somerset and 80% less likely to die in hospital in Somerset, compared to those who did not receive these services. The study also found that users of the services had fewer hospital admissions and A&E attendances in the last month and week of life.
Karen Burfitt, head of service design at Marie Curie, said: “These great results demonstrate the importance of partnership working in improving end of life care. What is really encouraging is that local partners in Somerset are reflecting on the results and thinking about how they can do even better.
Working in partnership
The DCP in Somerset includes a range of services, including:
- end of life care coordination centres
- an out-of-hours advice and response line
- end of life care discharge in-reach nursing service
- electronic end of life care register and the recording of key worker
- delivering choice end of life care pathway and the palliative care framework.
The services, launched in 2010, were developed in partnership with Marie Curie Cancer Care, local hospices, NHS Somerset and NHS North Somerset, local Clinical Commissioners, acute trusts, social care and voluntary and independent sector organisations.
Marie Curie has 18 DCP projects running across England. The aim of the programme is to develop services so that palliative patients are cared for and die in their place of choice.
The report
The report praises the excellent leadership and management skill of those involved in the project, and highlights how these skills and the funding provided by the national charity contributed to the success of the project. The report also notes that engaged commissioners with a passion for end of life care also help.
The report looks in detail at each of the services that makes up the DCP, examining what works for whom and in what circumstances.
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