Training to support hospices and palliative care services implement OACC outcome measures

Last May, the Cicely Saunders Institute (CSI) and Hospice UK launched the OACC Palliative Care Outcome Measures Resource Pack.

So far, over 160 of these packs have been bought by those interested in introducing the OACC outcome measures in their services. While we are delighted by this level of interest, we are well aware that buying the pack is just the first step on a long journey towards using and embedding these measures into routine practice.

Hospice UK and CSI are continuing to work together, and our aim is to see the widespread use of the OACC measures by hospices and other specialist palliative care providers right across the UK.

This will enable hospices to understand and demonstrate the difference that their care makes – at both individual and service level – in rigorous and quantifiable ways.

Such insights will be invaluable to those in hospice leadership roles responsible for strategic planning of services, and will provide vital evidence in negotiations with commissioners as we move towards outcomes-based commissioning.

Anyone who has bought an OACC resource pack can take part in free monthly webinars run by CSI, and these have been a vital resource for many – enabling people to learn more about the measures and, most importantly, ask questions and share their experiences with others.

Our next step is to develop train-the-trainer workshops, so that staff from services that are keen to start using the OACC measures, or that have begun to implement the measures, can then train and support colleagues back in their own services.

The first workshop will be held on 16 March, delivered by staff from Hospice UK and CSI, and bookings can be made via the Hospice UK website. Further information is also available on the CSI website.

Our intention is to also offer the train-the-trainer workshops to groups or clusters of hospices and other palliative care providers in different parts of the UK.

Those who have completed these workshops will become OACC Accredited Palliative Care Outcomes trainers and will be invited to become part of a virtual network of OACC trainers with access to dedicated webinars, a virtual network of trainers, and regular meetings or workshops.  We aim to foster a culture of ongoing peer support and mutual learning.

For more information about OACC, the resource packs and monthly webinars contact Francesca Cooper at CSI. For information about the train-the-trainer workshop in March contact Sophia Chalmers at Hospice UK.