Background The Reactive Emergency Assessment and Community Team (REACT) is a service that started in June 2022. Its aim is to reduce inequalities in access to end-of-life care in the Bradford area. Any patient over 18 who is thought to be in the last year of life, living in the Bradford area, and registered with a Bradford GP can be referred to the service. Referrals are made by emergency department personnel and REACT Palliative Care senior clinicians working in the department. Once referred, patients are assessed with the aim of being discharged to their home where possible. They will then receive Community REACT support for up to 72 hours, followed by a supported transition to appropriate partner community services. A process evaluation was conducted to explore REACT team members’ experiences of the establishment of the new service model.

Aims To evaluate the implementation of the REACT service – what has worked well and what could have been better.

Methods We conducted and thematically analysed eight semi-structured interviews with professionals who helped set up and deliver REACT.

Results The analysis identified the determination and passion of the REACT team and the culture of collaboration in Bradford as key enablers of the successful implementation of the service. Recruitment issues were highlighted as a major issue, particularly where night shifts were required. There were also recommendations made about the training requirements of the REACT team, because the evolving requirements when establishing a new service created a need for continuous learning.

Conclusions This evaluation of the REACT service demonstrated the importance of the confidence, commitment and drive of project staff to the establishment of a new service. It also identified the significance of a broader collaborative approach. Points for consideration were also identified when replicating similar service models in other areas.