@article{66ae06a43cf0429ba3c7285edc9dd7b0,
title = "Charitably funded hospices and the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study (CovPall)",
abstract = "Background: Independent charitably funded hospices have been an important element of the UK healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospices usually have different funding streams, procurement processes, and governance arrangements compared to NHS provision, which may affect their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to understand the challenges faced by charitably funded hospices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Eligible Organisations providing specialist palliative or hospice care completed the online CovPall survey (2020) which explored their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible organisations were then purposively selected to participate in interviews as part of qualitative case studies (2020-21) to understand challenges in more depth. Free-text responses from the survey were analysed using content analysis and were categorised accordingly. These categorisations were used a priori for a reflexive thematic analysis of interview data. Results: 143 UK independent charitably funded hospices completed the online CovPall survey. Five hospices subsequently participated in qualitative case studies (n = 24 staff interviews). Key themes include: vulnerabilities of funding; infection control during patient care; and bereavement support provision. Interviewees discussed the fragility of income due to fundraising events stopping; the difficulties of providing care to COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients within relatively small organisations; and challenges with maintaining the quality of bereavement services. Conclusion: Some unique care and provision challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic were highlighted by charitably funded hospices. Funding core services charitably and independently may affect their ability to respond to pandemics, or scenarios where resources are unexpectedly insufficient.",
keywords = "Charitably funded Hospice, COVID-19 Pandemic, Funding constraints, Mixed-Methods Research",
author = "Garner, {Ian W.} and Catherine Walshe and Lesley Dunleavey and Andy Bradshaw and Nancy Preston and Fraser, {Lorna K.} and Murtagh, {Fliss Em} and Oluyase, {Adejoke O.} and Sleeman, {Katherine E.} and Mevhibe Hocaoglu and Sabrina Bajwah and Chambers, {Rachel L.} and Matthew Maddocks and Higginson, {Irene J.}",
note = "Funding Information: This study was part of CovPall, a multi-national study, supported by the Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration South London and Cicely Saunders International. We thank all collaborators and advisors. We thank all participants, partners, PPI members and our Study Steering Group. We gratefully acknowledge technical assistance from the Precision Health Informatics Data Lab group ( https://phidatalab.org ) at National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King{\textquoteright}s College London for the use of REDCap for data capture. Funding Information: This research was supported by Medical Research Council (Grant Number: MR/V012908/1), with further funding from the National Institute for Health Research, Applied Research Collaboration South London, hosted at King{\textquoteright}s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Cicely Saunders International (Registered Charity Number: 1087195). We acknowledge technical assistance from the Precision Health Informatics Data Lab group ( https://phidatalab.org ) at National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King{\textquoteright}s College London for the use of REDCap for data capture. IJH is a National Institute for Health Research Emeritus Senior Investigator and is supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London at King{\textquoteright}s College Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust. IJH leads the Palliative and End of Life Care theme of the NIHR ARC SL and co-leads the national theme in this. MM is funded by a National Institute for Health Research Career Development Fellowship (CDF-2017-10-009) and NIHR ARC SL. LKF is funded by a NIHR Career Development Fellowship (award CDF-2018-11-ST2-002). KES is the Laing Galazka Chair in palliative care, funded by an endowment from Cicely Saunders International and Kirby Laing. RC is funded by Cicely Saunders International and Marie Curie. FEM is a NIHR Senior Investigator. MBH is supported by the NIHR ARC SL. The funding providers had no input into the design, data collection and analysis, or dissemination of this study. Funding Information: IJ Higginson is a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Emeritus Senior Investigator and is supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London (SL) at King{\textquoteright}s College Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust. They also lead the Palliative and End of Life Care theme of the NIHR ARC SL and co-leads the national theme in this. M Maddocks is funded by a NIHR Career Development Fellowship (CDF-2017- 10-009) and NIHR ARC SL. L Fraser is funded by a NIHR Career Development Fellowship (CDF-2018-11-ST2- 002). K Sleeman is funded by a NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellowship (CS-2015-15-005). R Cripps is funded by Cicely Saunders International. FE Murtagh is a NIHR Senior Investigator. M Hocaoglu is supported by the NIHR ARC SL. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care. The remaining authors have no conflict of interest. Funding Information: This study was part of CovPall, a multi-national study, supported by the Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration South London and Cicely Saunders International. We thank all collaborators and advisors. We thank all participants, partners, PPI members and our Study Steering Group. We gratefully acknowledge technical assistance from the Precision Health Informatics Data Lab group (https://phidatalab.org) at National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King{\textquoteright}s College London for the use of REDCap for data capture. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s).",
year = "2022",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1186/s12904-022-01070-8",
language = "English",
volume = "21",
journal = "BMC Palliative Care",
issn = "1472-684X",
publisher = "BioMed Central",
number = "1",
}
