This type of study provides the most robust evidence about the effects of a treatment randomised controlled studies: these are studies where people are randomly divided into different treatment groups. How did we identify and evaluate the evidence?įirst, we searched for all relevant studies in the medical literature. To find out whether HSPC benefits patients and their unpaid caregivers, and how cost-effective it is, we reviewed the evidence from research. or across multiple settings (for example, hospital and home). or as 'hospital-at-home' – which means that the hospital team visits patients in the community either in the hospital itself – for inpatients or outpatients It usually involves a team of people that can include physicians, nurses, pharmacists, other allied health professionals, social workers, chaplains or volunteers.Ī growing number of hospitals are setting up specialist palliative care services (known as hospital-based specialist palliative care (HSPC)).
Palliative care is known as an ‘holistic’ approach, because it considers the ‘whole’ person and their support network – not just the illness and its symptoms. It seeks to help patients, their unpaid caregivers and families manage symptoms that cause distress (for example, pain) and to meet patients’ and unpaid caregivers’ needs for psychological, social and spiritual support. Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of people who have a terminal illness (a disease that cannot be cured and is likely to lead to death).
How effective is hospital-based specialist palliative care for adults with a terminal illness and their unpaid caregivers, and is it cost-effective?