IMPACT: Implementation of Quality Indicators
in Palliative Care Study
Newsletter 1; Summer 2012
Welcome to the first edition of the IMPACT newsletter. In this first edition we will recap what IMPACT
is, give you an update on the study, a list of recent and upcoming publications and what is next for
IMPACT.
WHAT IS IMPACT?
Impact is a four year study which is
funded by the European Commission
taking place in 5 countries; England,
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and
Norway.
The aim of IMPACT is to identify the
optimal strategies for improving
palliative care for people with cancer
or dementia in Europe, using quality
indicators as the lever for change.
IMPACT will study the effectiveness of
these strategies, and the factors
influencing their effectiveness.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Over the next few months we will
begin to recruit care homes, GP
surgeries, Hospitals and hospices to be
the sites for intervention phase of the
study. Do you know anyone who
might want to take part?
Nathan is about to start interviewing
family carers about their experiences
of end of life care
and how they judge
the quality of care.
Contact him (see
below for details) if
You want to learn more.
UPDATE OF ACTIVITIES
Interviews
We have been interviewing professionals
to create a picture of the current state
of palliative care across the five countries.
To date we have completed fifty eight
interviews and three focus groups. Interviews are now
underway for the next stage of the study examining barriers
to improving care. Keep a look out for the published results
of what we found.
Literature reviews
Our team has been busy conducting a search of the
palliative care and dementia literature to produce four
reviews. They are a review of the carers literature and their
experiences, a review of education initiatives for dementia
and PC, a review of reviews and finally a review of policy.
Keep a look out for our carers review which has been
accepted by Dementia the International Journal of Social
Studies. We have submitted our education review to the
same journal.
Quality Indicators
The selection of quality indicators is well underway. A
Search of the literature found over 600 quality indicators.
After a Delphi procedure at the European Association of
Palliative Care (EAPC) congress, Trondheim we now have a
little over fifty indicators which will be circulated among
members of the Delphi.
Website
Our website is now up and
running. Take a look.
What do you think?
CONTACT US AT:
Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health, UCL Medical School, Royal Free Campus, Rowland
Hill Street, London NW3 2PF TEL: 020 7794 0500 ext: 34141 FAX: 020 7794 1224
Email: s.iliffe@ucl.ac.uk; nathan.davies.10@ucl.ac.uk Website: http://www.impactpalliativecare.eu/