Background Older people in care homes are some of the frailest in society. Managing their care can be complex and recognition of residents who are dying can be challenging for care home staff (Macgregor,Rutherford, McCormack, et al. BMJ Open. 2021;11(2):e049486). Reasons for this are multifactorial, including multi-comorbidities, lack of training in the recognition of the signs of end of life. SPICT^TM and SPICT-4All^TM are tools designed to help staff recognise declining health allowing for timely planning ensuring future care is aligned with residents’ preferences and wishes (Piers, DeBrauwer, Baeyens, et al. BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2021 May 31:bmjspcare-2021–003042).

Aims By the end of 2023 three care homes will have engaged with a tailored palliative care education programme and implemented the SPICT^TM tool with at least two residents.

Method

• Working group set up – hospice and care home professional support team.

• Training needs analysis identified education requirements.

• Care homes offered a tailored palliative education programme.

• Participants asked to use SPICT^TM over the 4–month period of the course.

• ‘Would I be surprised if the resident died in the next year?’ (Van Lummel, Letswaard, Zuithoff, et al. Palliat Med. 2022;36(7):1023–1046) question helped identify residents where SPICT^TM maybe appropriate.

• Regular check–in with participants.

• Pre and post education session evaluation.

Results

• 100% of attendees recognised that end of life care planning would be required during the last 6–12 months of a resident’s life.

• 100% of attendees believed the SPICT^TM tool would be useful in their care home.

• 86% of attendees had used the SPICT^TM tool with at least two residents within their home.

Conclusion This very small pilot identified that with support and education, SPICT^TM can significantly increase staff awareness of what to look for when a resident is in the last year of life allowing for timely future care planning. This pilot is now being rolled out across Ayrshire.