Background This abstract presents an innovative collaboration between Hospice of the Valleys and Hallmark Luxury Care Homes to establish two Centres of Excellence in palliative and end-of-life care within care home settings.

Aims This collaboration aims to advance the quality of palliative and end-of-life care within care home environments. By integrating expertise from hospice and care home sectors, we aim to address the needs of residents and families facing life-limiting illnesses, ultimately enhancing their end-of-life experiences.

Methods Using participatory action research frameworks and engaging stakeholders, residents, families, care home team members and hospice professionals to co-design and implement palliative care best practices. We used a combination of educational techniques including case-based learning, communication skills training and reflective practice sessions and collected learner evaluations and feedback on change in practice.

Results The results of our approach suggest the feasibility and efficacy of collaborative approaches in transforming care home settings into hubs of excellence in palliative care. Preliminary findings show an increased understanding of palliative care principles among care home staff, improved communication and coordination, and better quality of life for residents receiving palliative care. Expected outcomes include standardised protocols, training modules, and ongoing support for sustaining the Centre of Excellence model.

Conclusions Key implications include the potential for replicability across other care facilities, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration in palliative care provision. We are collating an evaluation of the longer term impact of this shared learning collaborative model, intending to develop the model of training and knowledge sharing to implement across additional care homes. Additionally, ongoing research will focus on addressing barriers and facilitators to sustainability, ensuring the success of the Centres of Excellence in palliative and end-of-life care.