PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Haraldsdottir, Erna AU - Milton, Libby AU - Lloyd, Anna AU - Finucane, Anne AU - Bijak, Martyn AU - Stone, Jackie AU - Partington, Dot AU - Ford, Hilary AU - Brown, Duncan TI - P-148 Inpatients hospice admissions, who is admitted and why: a mixed method prospective study AID - 10.1136/spcare-2021-Hospice.164 DP - 2021 Nov 01 TA - BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care PG - A62--A62 VI - 11 IP - Suppl 2 4099 - http://spcare.bmj.com/content/11/Suppl_2/A62.2.short 4100 - http://spcare.bmj.com/content/11/Suppl_2/A62.2.full SO - BMJ Support Palliat Care2021 Nov 01; 11 AB - Background Across the UK, more people are projected to die in community settings over the next two decades. The role of the hospice inpatient unit (IPU) needs to be better understood in light of these shifts. The term complex needs is used for patients admitted to IPU, however, there is little clarity around these needs and how they trigger admission.Aim To understand why patients are admitted to IPU and to describe the palliative care services available to them beforehand.Method Prospective mixed methods study. Data were collected in two hospices in one city of Scotland. We examined case notes of 259 patients admitted to the IPU over four months and conducted 40 semi-structured interviews. (22 patients or a relative proxy, 11 health care professionals, 7 pro-forma interviews-source of referrals).Results Mean age was 71 years, 53% were female; 47% male. Most patients admitted were Scottish or White British (95%). Most were living with another person at the time of admission (72%); 28% lived alone. The vast majority had cancer (95%). Phase of illness was judged as deteriorating or unstable for over two-thirds at the time of admission. Most patients were receiving specialist palliative care support prior to admission – 73% had a community palliative care CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist). Just under half had district nurse support (48%). Over one-fifth (21%) had no prior community palliative care involvement; most of these patients were referred from the hospital (81%). Length of stay was 12 days (median). 68% of admissions were for end-of-life care, with the patient dying during the admission. The hospice inpatient unit was the documented preferred place of death for 56% who died in that location.Thematic analysis of the qualitative data identified the key reasons for admissions, symptom control, anxiety and fear, social isolation and end-of-life care.ConclusionAdmission to inpatient hospice is a last resort and often a response to a crisis situation.Greater palliative care support in home settings is needed so that more patients can remain at home when that is their preference.