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Reposted by Sabine Best

MarieCurieEOLC @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social · Aug 21

Dr Katharine Weetman, Marie Curie Associate Professor Dr John MacArtney and team have recently published findings on the challenges posing current discharge processes, identifying patient experiences and highlighting suggestions for healthcare professionals, summarised below.

John MacArtney @johnmacartney.bsky.social · Aug 20

Latest paper with Katherine Weetman et al. on improving specialist palliative care discharge:
bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

@nihr.bsky.social @warwickmed.bsky.social @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social @mariecurieuk.bsky.social @hospiceuk.bsky.social @nhscovwarksicb.bsky.social

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Abstract

Background: Patients who have received specialist intervention during periods of complex symptom and palliative care needs (e.g. pain crisis) may be discharged from specialist palliative care services to primary care. Despite such discharges being reasonably common, little is known about what happens during this process. We sought to explore
patient, carer and healthcare professional experiences, identifying ways to improve this crucial and time-sensitive part of the healthcare journey.

Methods: A qualitative interview study designed using an interpretive approach and reflexive thematic analysis methods. Sampling was purposive across six specialist palliative care sites (hospitals and hospices) and six general practices.

Results: A total of 38 participants took part in interviews:15 patients, 8 carers and 15 primary care professionals. Two overarching key themes were developed. The first described the multiple ways that ‘discharge’ was understood depending on the setting and circumstances of the patient. The second explored what was associated with better
or worse transitions to primary care. Discharge communications that were accurate and complete were described as effective whereby written information reinforced verbal instructions and acted as a reminder. Participant suggestions for improving these discharge communications included: incorporating the patient’s palliative care preferences (e.g. advanced directives); offering letters to patients and, where appropriate, carers; providing post-discharge follow-up
and contact details; ensuring medication instructions are accessible to patients and carers.

Conclusions: Current specialist palliative care discharge communications risk confusion, distress, and increased workload post-discharge. The study identified numerous suggestions professionals could take to improve this process.

Title: Improving specialist palliative care discharges from hospitals and hospices to community settings: a qualitative interview study of the communication experiences of patients, carers, and primary care professionals

Authors: Katharine Weetman, Catherine Grimley, Cara Bailey, Celia J. Bernstein, Jeremy Dale, Aprella Fitch, Sarah Mitchell, Rumandeep Tiwana & John I. MacArtney

Journal: BMC Palliative Care, volume 24, Article number: 214 (2025)

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MarieCurieEOLC @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social · Aug 11

The Chief Medical Officer for England’s 2023 Annual Report on Health in an Ageing Society identified that more research needs to include older people. That's why we've joined other organisations in signing a statement of intent and to take action.

Read more - www.nihr.ac.uk/news/nihr-an...

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MarieCurieEOLC @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social · Aug 5

🚨Calling researchers - Submissions for abstracts and spotlight sessions for the Marie Curie Research into Practice Conference 2026 are now open!
www.mariecurie.org.uk/research-and...

Conference submissions are open. We are welcoming abstract and spotlight session submissions for the Marie Curie Research into Practice Conference 2026.

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MarieCurieEOLC @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social · Jul 15

@mariecurieuk.bsky.social and @alzheimerssoc.bsky.social announce the projects awarded through our research funding partnership.

The projects aim to tackle the urgent need for better dementia-specific end-of-life care.

Find the individual projects ⬇️
www.mariecurie.org.uk/research-and...

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MarieCurieEOLC @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social · Jun 9

Priorities identified through the Marie Curie/James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership have guided our research grants scheme; end of life care in, and discharge from, hospitals.

Read the JLA blog to learn more👇
And visit the scheme page - www.mariecurie.org.uk/research-and...

James Lind Alliance @jameslindalliance.bsky.social · Jun 9

📢 ‪@mariecurieuk.bsky.social‬ has launched a funding opportunity that responds directly to the questions raised by patients, carers, and clinicians through the Palliative and End of Life Care Refresh PSP!

More info in our latest blog post ➡️ buff.ly/KlHMxgO

‪@mariecurieeolc.bsky.social‬

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Jun 3

The @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social research call is now open. We're delighted to partner up with two brilliant hospital charities: Leeds Hospitals Charity and Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity. Deadline for expressions of interest is 21 July 25 www.mariecurie.org.uk/research-and...

Research Grants Scheme: improving hospital experiences

Marie Curie's next call for research will focus on improving the quality of care and discharge processes in hospitals for people at the end of life.

www.mariecurie.org.uk

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John MacArtney @johnmacartney.bsky.social · Jun 3

*FAO all hospices!*

We want to help you set-up and develop a Men's Shed support group.

For more information please watch our short presentation (25mins) explaining what Men's Sheds are, the benefits they bring, and how we are able to help you start your own!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5ZY...

How to start a Men's Shed in your hospice

YouTube video by Marie Curie

www.youtube.com

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Anne Finucane @annefinucane.bsky.social · May 30

Great to see over 100 posters on the management of psychological symptoms & needs at #eapc2025. Check out our poster on research required in this area. And feel free to join our network to exchange ideas on research and practice in this space: www.mainexchange.org.uk

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Donna Wakefield @donnawakefield.bsky.social · May 30

Sharing the results of this important study at #EAPC2025:
Mapping the #PalliativeCare #Research workforce in the UK 🗺️ - thoughts?

Led by @annefinucane.bsky.social
-with wide collaboration including @simonnoahetkind.bsky.social & @flissmurtagh.bsky.social

Funded by @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social

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Anne Finucane @annefinucane.bsky.social · May 29

My Grief My Way: delighted to present a poster on our bereavement support resource at #eapc2025. Our website content is free to use by all, with further material coming soon!
mygriefmyway.co.uk

Funded by @mariecurieuk.bsky.social

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · May 29

Congratulations to @andreabruun.bsky.social for winning the @eapcvzw.bsky.social Early Career Researcher Award #EAPC2025 - so well deserved! Brilliant to hear about your career development from PhD @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk Research Dept and current work on learning disabilities

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · May 14

Pre-launch: themes for the next @mariecurieuk.bsky.social Research Grants Scheme call, based on the refreshed @jameslindalliance.bsky.social palliative + end of life care research priorities - focus on hospital palliative + end of life care from ED to discharge www.mariecurie.org.uk/research-and...

Call for research: Improving hospital experiences

Marie Curie's next call for research will focus on improving the quality of care and discharge processes in hospitals for people at the end of life.

www.mariecurie.org.uk

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Dr Ben Bowers @drbenbowers.bsky.social · Apr 27

I’m presenting at the Dorothy House Palliative Care Research Conference on 5 June, discussing the timely, effective and safe use of injectable end-of-life medications.

Bringing together our brand new research for the 1st time!

www.dorothyhouse.org.uk/palliative-c...

Palliative Care Research Conference

Our Palliative Care Research Conference aims to support researchers and practitioners to establish research opportunities in their hospice.

www.dorothyhouse.org.uk

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MarieCurieEOLC @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social · Mar 19

Marie Curie funded research is looking into the palliative and end of life care research workforce. Can you help?

The sessions seek to explore your views on the findings and implications for growing the palliative care research workforce in the UK. See below post for details 👇

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MarieCurieEOLC @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social · Feb 19

🏅Our Tammy Prescott public and patient involvement award goes to the team behind the Victoria and Stuart Project!

The project was a codesign of a toolkit of resources for advanced care planning for those at the end of life with learning difficulties.

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Feb 14

'Dads' Takeaway nights' - most effective in engaging fathers of children who have died suddenly - Sarah Hodkinson and Lisa Dennis from Shooting Star Children's Hospices #MCResearch2025 on their bereavement support model. Very moving and available on catchup www.shootingstar.org.uk/news/shootin...

Shooting Star's bereavement service highly commended at Third Sector Awards

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices has been highly commended in the Breakthrough of the Year category at the prestigious Third Sector Awards 2024 for the ground-breaking expansion of our bereavement se...

www.shootingstar.org.uk

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MarieCurieEOLC @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social · Feb 13

We’re excited to announce the launch of new research priorities for palliative and end of life care!

These have been created in a project with the JLA and other partner organisations, including co-funders the ESRC and @mndassoc.bsky.social, and guided by people affected by a life limiting illness.

The top 10 new priorities for palliative and end of life care research are:

How do people with dementia experience end of life? How can palliative and end of life care better meet their needs and those of their carers, friends and families?
How can NHS, social services and charities work more collaboratively to provide joined-up care that better meets the needs of people with a serious life-limiting illness and their carers, friends and families?
What kinds of palliative and end of life care and support need to be in place to enable people to die well at home? What skills do staff need? What helps or hinders the delivery of care at home?
What are the best ways to provide personalised palliative and end of life care that meets all the physical, mental, practical, social and spiritual needs of a person with a serious life-limiting illness?
How can palliative and end of life care better meet the complex needs of people with multiple health conditions?
How can communication and care co-ordination be improved across the teams of health and social care professionals caring for people with any serious life-limiting illness?
What skills, training and information do carers, friends and family members need to be able to care for someone who is dying at home (e.g. giving medicines safely by injection, managing incontinence, moving people)? What is the impact (pros and cons) of upskilling the people giving care?
How can the quality of palliative and end of life care in hospital be improved? What helps or hinders improvement?
What are the best ways to provide palliative and end of life care, support and advice at all hours (24/7 or out of hours)?
How can palliative and end of life care better meet the needs of people who live alone, or are socially isolated?

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Feb 14

Most carers of people at the end of life are significantly older, most aged over 65 years, 20% aged over 80 years - striking findings that chime with my experience of my mother caring for my father for > 2 years, aged 84+, Clare Gardiner Sheffield
#MCResearch2025 www.sheffield.ac.uk/palliativere...

Financial and employment impacts of end of life family caregiving

Funded by Marie Curie, this study used data from the UK Household Longitudinal Survey (UKHLS) and Health Survey for England (HSE) to explore the financial and employment impacts of end of life caring ...

www.sheffield.ac.uk

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Feb 14

Really important new data on unpaid carers from Clare Gradiner, Sheffield #MCResearch2025: between 150,000 and 180,000 people every year are providing unpaid care for someone at the end of life - around 4% of household carers in the UK @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social www.sheffield.ac.uk/palliativere...

Financial and employment impacts of end of life family caregiving

Funded by Marie Curie, this study used data from the UK Household Longitudinal Survey (UKHLS) and Health Survey for England (HSE) to explore the financial and employment impacts of end of life caring ...

www.sheffield.ac.uk

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Feb 14

Always shocked by the number of people dying in poverty in the UK - 111,000 in 2023, up from 90,000 in 2019 - higher risk for working age people, women, black minorities, North East, Wales @drjulietstone.bsky.social @helenbarnard.bsky.social @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social #MCResearch2025 bit.ly/42UPfpK

The cost of dying crisis

It shouldn’t be harder to make ends meet at the end of your life. But many people are pushed into poverty after a terminal diagnosis.

bit.ly

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Feb 14

Last day of the @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social Research into Practice conference - another great line up of interesting presentations! I did not manage to catch all sessions live yesterday and Tuesday but will watch them all on catchup #MCResearch2025 mariecurie.ivent-pro.com/events/resea...

iVent Pro

mariecurie.ivent-pro.com

Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Feb 13

Quote from Dr Charlotte Stenson's work on multiple health conditions #MCResearch2025: '..We in health push people through little portals depending on which organ we're trying to look at on each occasion..' such a powerful description - striking also the other quotes, including from the audience

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Feb 13

Session recording from @spbowers.bsky.social @felicitydewhurst.bsky.social on palliative care for people with multiple long-term conditions #MCResearch2025 now live-this is addressing priority 5 of the new @jameslindalliance.bsky.social Peolc research priorities healthopenresearch.org/documents/7-2

healthopenresearch.org

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Sabine Best @sabinebest.bsky.social · Feb 13

Very interesting abstract session #MCResearch2025 - great to hear from Lynne Partington from @eolp.bsky.social about the @mariecurieeolc.bsky.social impact grant on involvement of activity coordinators in care homes to improve identification and management of depression