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Novel multidisciplinary ambulatory palliative care clinic: staff opinion and job satisfaction
  1. Mary Ann Larkin1,2 and
  2. Michael Lucey1
  1. 1Department of Palliative Medicine, Milford Care Centre, Castletroy, Ireland
  2. 2ASPIRE Fellowship, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
  1. Correspondence to Dr Mary Ann Larkin, Department of Palliative Medicine, Milford Care Centre, Castletroy, Ireland; m.larkin{at}milfordcarecentre.ie

https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2024-004845

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    Palliative care is a rapidly growing specialty which is now integrating care between acute services and the community for patients with progressive, incurable and chronic illnesses.1 Our ageing population and increasing global burden of disease are leading to an incremental strain on the limited resources available in healthcare.1 2 Palliative care plays a vital role in providing care in the community, with research demonstrating a significant contribution to patients and families outside the acute hospital setting.3 Ambulatory palliative care is multidisciplinary community palliative care provided in centres for patients outside the acute hospital setting. Ambulatory palliative care for appropriate patients in conjunction with enhanced community support is a key strategic area for healthcare to improve both clinical and service efficiency.4

    A pilot ambulatory palliative care clinic was established within our service in January 2023 to support and enhance clinical and service efficiency within our existing Specialist Palliative Care Community Service (SPCCS). Our SPCCS caters for 408 000 people across 8000 km2 in three counties in the mid-west of Ireland, representing a significant logistical challenge in providing timely care to patients. This clinic supports the SPCCS by providing patients expedited access to the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and associated resources within the organisation. Referrals to the clinic are identified, discussed and then accepted from existing SPCCS referrals during the triage process. Referral criteria …

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors ML devised the project. MAL designed the study. Both authors analysed the results. Both authors discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript.

    • Funding The research leading to these results was undertaken as part of an ASPIRE Fellowship with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Financial support for the fellowship was received from the National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP).

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.