Prohibit, Protect, or Adapt? The Changing Role of Volunteers in Palliative and Hospice Care Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Multinational Survey (Covpall)

CovPall study team

doi:10.34172/ijhpm.2021.128

Prohibit, Protect, or Adapt? The Changing Role of Volunteers in Palliative and Hospice Care Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Multinational Survey (Covpall)

CovPall study team

Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Volunteers are common within palliative care services, and provide support that enhances care quality. The support they provided, and any role changes, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are unknown. The aim of this study is to understand volunteer deployment and activities within palliative care services, and to identify what may affect any changes in volunteer service provision, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Multi-national online survey disseminated via key stakeholders to specialist palliative care services, completed by lead clinicians. Data collected on volunteer roles, deployment, and changes in volunteer engagement. Analysis included descriptive statistics, a multivariable logistic regression, and analysis of free-text comments using a content analysis approach. Results: 458 respondents: 277 UK, 85 rest of Europe, and 95 rest of the world. 68.5% indicated volunteer use pre-COVID-19 across a number of roles (from 458): direct patient facing support (58.7%), indirect support (52.0%), back office (48.5%) and fundraising (45.6%). 11% had volunteers with COVID-19. Of those responding to a question on change in volunteer deployment (328 of 458) most (256/328, 78%) indicated less or much less use of volunteers. Less use of volunteers was associated with being an in-patient hospice, (odds ratio [OR] = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.07-0.3, P < .001). This reduction in volunteers was felt to protect potentially vulnerable volunteers, with policy changes preventing volunteer support. However, adapting was also seen where new roles were created, or existing roles pivoted to provide virtual support. Conclusion: Volunteers were mostly prevented from supporting many forms of palliative care which may have quality and safety implications given their previously central roles. Volunteer re-deployment plans are needed that take a more considered approach, using volunteers more flexibly to enhance care while ensuring safe working practices. Consideration needs to be given to widening the volunteer base away from those who may be considered to be most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2146-2154
Number of pages	9
Journal	International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume	11
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.2021.128
Publication status	Published - Oct 2022

Keywords

COVID-19
Palliative Care
Volunteers

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.34172/ijhpm.2021.128

Cite this

@article{12a7d3df0329468cbe44968e68102a76,

title = "Prohibit, Protect, or Adapt? The Changing Role of Volunteers in Palliative and Hospice Care Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Multinational Survey (Covpall)",

abstract = "Background: Volunteers are common within palliative care services, and provide support that enhances care quality. The support they provided, and any role changes, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are unknown. The aim of this study is to understand volunteer deployment and activities within palliative care services, and to identify what may affect any changes in volunteer service provision, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Multi-national online survey disseminated via key stakeholders to specialist palliative care services, completed by lead clinicians. Data collected on volunteer roles, deployment, and changes in volunteer engagement. Analysis included descriptive statistics, a multivariable logistic regression, and analysis of free-text comments using a content analysis approach. Results: 458 respondents: 277 UK, 85 rest of Europe, and 95 rest of the world. 68.5% indicated volunteer use pre-COVID-19 across a number of roles (from 458): direct patient facing support (58.7%), indirect support (52.0%), back office (48.5%) and fundraising (45.6%). 11% had volunteers with COVID-19. Of those responding to a question on change in volunteer deployment (328 of 458) most (256/328, 78%) indicated less or much less use of volunteers. Less use of volunteers was associated with being an in-patient hospice, (odds ratio [OR] = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.07-0.3, P < .001). This reduction in volunteers was felt to protect potentially vulnerable volunteers, with policy changes preventing volunteer support. However, adapting was also seen where new roles were created, or existing roles pivoted to provide virtual support. Conclusion: Volunteers were mostly prevented from supporting many forms of palliative care which may have quality and safety implications given their previously central roles. Volunteer re-deployment plans are needed that take a more considered approach, using volunteers more flexibly to enhance care while ensuring safe working practices. Consideration needs to be given to widening the volunteer base away from those who may be considered to be most vulnerable to COVID-19.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Palliative Care, Volunteers",

author = "{CovPall study team} and Catherine Walshe and Ian Garner and Lesley Dunleavy and Nancy Preston and Andy Bradshaw and Cripps, {Rachel L.} and Sabrina Bajwah and Sleeman, {Katherine E.} and Mevhibe Hocaoglu and Matthew Maddocks and Murtagh, {Fliss E.M.} and Oluyase, {Adejoke O.} and Fraser, {Lorna K.} and Higginson, {Irene J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by UKRI and the NIHR [COV0011; MR/ V012908/1]. Additional support was from the NIHR, ARC, SL, hosted at King{\textquoteright}s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Cicely Saunders International (Registered Charity No. 1087195). Funding Information: This study was part of CovPall, a multi-national study, supported by the Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London (SL) 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 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at SL and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King{\textquoteright}s College London for the use of REDCap for data capture. Funding Information: IJH is the grant holder and chief investigator; KES, MM, FEM, CW, NP, LKF, SB, MBH, and AO are co-applicants for funding. IJH and CW with critical input from all authors wrote the protocol for the CovPall study. MBH, AO, RC, and LD co-ordinated data collection and liaised with centres, with input from IJH, FEM, CW, NP, and LKF. IG, MH, AO, LF, and CW analysed the data. All authors had access to all study data, discussed the interpretation of findings and take responsibility for data integrity and analysis. CW and IF drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the analysis plan and provided critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. Funding Information: This work was supported by UKRI and the NIHR [COV0011; MR/ V012908/1]. Additional support was from the NIHR, ARC, SL, hosted at King{\textquoteright}s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Cicely Saunders International (Registered Charity No. 1087195). IJH is a NIHR Emeritus Senior Investigator and is supported by the NIHR ARC SL 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. CW is supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC, NIHR200182). MM is funded by a NIHR 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 funded by a NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellowship (CS-2015-15-005). RC is funded by Cicely Saunders International. FEM is a NIHR Senior Investigator. MBH 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. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.",

year = "2022",

month = oct,

doi = "10.34172/ijhpm.2021.128",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

pages = "2146--2154",

journal = "International Journal of Health Policy and Management",

issn = "2322-5939",

publisher = "Kerman University of Medical Science",

number = "10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prohibit, Protect, or Adapt? The Changing Role of Volunteers in Palliative and Hospice Care Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Multinational Survey (Covpall)

AU - CovPall study team

AU - Walshe, Catherine

AU - Garner, Ian

AU - Dunleavy, Lesley

AU - Preston, Nancy

AU - Bradshaw, Andy

AU - Cripps, Rachel L.

AU - Bajwah, Sabrina

AU - Sleeman, Katherine E.

AU - Hocaoglu, Mevhibe

AU - Maddocks, Matthew

AU - Murtagh, Fliss E.M.

AU - Oluyase, Adejoke O.

AU - Fraser, Lorna K.

AU - Higginson, Irene J.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by UKRI and the NIHR [COV0011; MR/ V012908/1]. Additional support was from the NIHR, ARC, SL, hosted at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Cicely Saunders International (Registered Charity No. 1087195). Funding Information: This study was part of CovPall, a multi-national study, supported by the Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London (SL) 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 NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at SL and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London for the use of REDCap for data capture. Funding Information: IJH is the grant holder and chief investigator; KES, MM, FEM, CW, NP, LKF, SB, MBH, and AO are co-applicants for funding. IJH and CW with critical input from all authors wrote the protocol for the CovPall study. MBH, AO, RC, and LD co-ordinated data collection and liaised with centres, with input from IJH, FEM, CW, NP, and LKF. IG, MH, AO, LF, and CW analysed the data. All authors had access to all study data, discussed the interpretation of findings and take responsibility for data integrity and analysis. CW and IF drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the analysis plan and provided critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. Funding Information: This work was supported by UKRI and the NIHR [COV0011; MR/ V012908/1]. Additional support was from the NIHR, ARC, SL, hosted at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Cicely Saunders International (Registered Charity No. 1087195). IJH is a NIHR Emeritus Senior Investigator and is supported by the NIHR ARC SL at King’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. CW is supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC, NIHR200182). MM is funded by a NIHR 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 funded by a NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellowship (CS-2015-15-005). RC is funded by Cicely Saunders International. FEM is a NIHR Senior Investigator. MBH 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. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

PY - 2022/10

Y1 - 2022/10

N2 - Background: Volunteers are common within palliative care services, and provide support that enhances care quality. The support they provided, and any role changes, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are unknown. The aim of this study is to understand volunteer deployment and activities within palliative care services, and to identify what may affect any changes in volunteer service provision, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Multi-national online survey disseminated via key stakeholders to specialist palliative care services, completed by lead clinicians. Data collected on volunteer roles, deployment, and changes in volunteer engagement. Analysis included descriptive statistics, a multivariable logistic regression, and analysis of free-text comments using a content analysis approach. Results: 458 respondents: 277 UK, 85 rest of Europe, and 95 rest of the world. 68.5% indicated volunteer use pre-COVID-19 across a number of roles (from 458): direct patient facing support (58.7%), indirect support (52.0%), back office (48.5%) and fundraising (45.6%). 11% had volunteers with COVID-19. Of those responding to a question on change in volunteer deployment (328 of 458) most (256/328, 78%) indicated less or much less use of volunteers. Less use of volunteers was associated with being an in-patient hospice, (odds ratio [OR] = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.07-0.3, P < .001). This reduction in volunteers was felt to protect potentially vulnerable volunteers, with policy changes preventing volunteer support. However, adapting was also seen where new roles were created, or existing roles pivoted to provide virtual support. Conclusion: Volunteers were mostly prevented from supporting many forms of palliative care which may have quality and safety implications given their previously central roles. Volunteer re-deployment plans are needed that take a more considered approach, using volunteers more flexibly to enhance care while ensuring safe working practices. Consideration needs to be given to widening the volunteer base away from those who may be considered to be most vulnerable to COVID-19.

AB - Background: Volunteers are common within palliative care services, and provide support that enhances care quality. The support they provided, and any role changes, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are unknown. The aim of this study is to understand volunteer deployment and activities within palliative care services, and to identify what may affect any changes in volunteer service provision, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Multi-national online survey disseminated via key stakeholders to specialist palliative care services, completed by lead clinicians. Data collected on volunteer roles, deployment, and changes in volunteer engagement. Analysis included descriptive statistics, a multivariable logistic regression, and analysis of free-text comments using a content analysis approach. Results: 458 respondents: 277 UK, 85 rest of Europe, and 95 rest of the world. 68.5% indicated volunteer use pre-COVID-19 across a number of roles (from 458): direct patient facing support (58.7%), indirect support (52.0%), back office (48.5%) and fundraising (45.6%). 11% had volunteers with COVID-19. Of those responding to a question on change in volunteer deployment (328 of 458) most (256/328, 78%) indicated less or much less use of volunteers. Less use of volunteers was associated with being an in-patient hospice, (odds ratio [OR] = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.07-0.3, P < .001). This reduction in volunteers was felt to protect potentially vulnerable volunteers, with policy changes preventing volunteer support. However, adapting was also seen where new roles were created, or existing roles pivoted to provide virtual support. Conclusion: Volunteers were mostly prevented from supporting many forms of palliative care which may have quality and safety implications given their previously central roles. Volunteer re-deployment plans are needed that take a more considered approach, using volunteers more flexibly to enhance care while ensuring safe working practices. Consideration needs to be given to widening the volunteer base away from those who may be considered to be most vulnerable to COVID-19.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Palliative Care

KW - Volunteers

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122131654&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.128

DO - 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.128

M3 - Article

C2 - 34664497

AN - SCOPUS:85122131654

SN - 2322-5939

VL - 11

SP - 2146

EP - 2154

JO - International Journal of Health Policy and Management

JF - International Journal of Health Policy and Management

IS - 10

ER -

Prohibit, Protect, or Adapt? The Changing Role of Volunteers in Palliative and Hospice Care Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Multinational Survey (Covpall)

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this