RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 P-164 The evolvement of a hospice resource vehicle
JF BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
JO BMJ Support Palliat Care
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP A68
OP A69
DO 10.1136/bmjspcare-2018-hospiceabs.189
VO 8
IS Suppl 2
A1 McBlain, Jacqueline
YR 2018
UL http://spcare.bmj.com/content/8/Suppl_2/A68.3.abstract
AB Background At a senior management team away day in 2013, there was a discussion of three papers; ‘Hospice and palliative care: access for all’ (Help the Hospices, 2006), ‘Dying for change’ (Leadbeater & Garber, 2010) and ‘Future ambitions for hospice care: our mission and our opportunity’ (Help the Hospices, 2013), with regards to how inequitable access to palliative care services can be. In order to reach the wider community who have limited awareness and access to hospice services, the idea of having a hospice resource vehicle, to engage with the public and professionals within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland was born.Aims To purchase a bespoke vehicle and to increase face-to-face contact through a range of clinical and information services. To deliver designated therapies within the resource vehicle at sites away from the hospice.Methods October 2014 to July 2015 – visits to St Barnabas and St Giles Hospices to view their resource vehicles. April 2016 – Board agreement to purchase bespoke vehicle. April 2017 to April 2018 number of miles travelled, number of visits, recorded reads and number of enquiries.Results January 2017 – receipt of bespoke vehicle named ‘LOROS Local’ assembled by Towmaster. April 2017 to April 2018 3500 miles travelled, 97 visits to 51 venues averaging three visits per week. 17 023 recorded reads of external messages on the vehicle equalling 551 people enquiring about LOROS’ services and a potential 79 volunteers recruited. May 2018 a weekly complementary therapy clinic hosted in the car-park of Green Towers leisure centre commenced with 41 treatments being delivered thus far.Conclusion The most rewarding experiences have been those supportive conversations in which the team have been able to offer advice, support and signposting for members of the public who have sought advice. We will continue to develop the LOROS Local service through the community task and finish group.