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A Service Evaluation of Professional Visitors Rewarding but Requires Resource Emily Sills – Medical Director; Jane Berg – Director Skills Knowledge & Research, Princess Alice Hospice. Background Hospices have traditionally been seen as experts in end of life care, but we also have expertise in volunteer management, data and digital and managing collaborative relationships with partners such as the NHS. One of our strategic aims is to share our knowledge and expertise.
Aim
Method
The aim of this service evaluation was to quantify the amount and type of professional visits we host, where the visitors are from, how much time they spend at the Hospice and what feedback we receive. The data will be used to inform discussion about how we manage visitors in the future.
In April 2023 we began collecting data about professional visitors. Professional visitors were defined as people who attend the Hospice with the specific aim of learning from us about an area of our work. They are additional and distinct from the learners who attend our educational events and programmes. We included virtual and face to face attendance. In April 2024 we summarised and analysed the first year of data and presented our results.
Results Department Depar tment Visited Visited
4455 total visitor hours
Medical In-Patient Unit Wellbeing Centre Digital, Tech and Data
=
Hospice at Home Education and Research Quality and Patient Experience Marketing and Communications 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Which organisations are the visitors coming from? 70%
Digital and Technology 5%
50%
50% 40% 30%
Art Therapy 2%
Education 3%
Social Work 5%
Physiotherapy Digital and 5% Technology 5%
60%
Quality 2%
Quality 2%
Leadership and Management Art Therapy 2%
2%
Ho sp ita ls
Nursing 26%
rn at ion al
IC B
Outcomes and Potential Impact • • • • • • •
Professional role of visitors Medical 48%
Int e
Ho sp ice ion al
Lo nd on
s
s Na t
ion al
Un ive
rs itie
ce s Na t
Lo ca lH os pi
Lo ca lH os pi ta ls
rsi tie s Lo ca lU niv e
Physiotherapy 5%
Medical Nursing 48% 26%
Medical 48%
Leadership and Management 2%
10% 0%
Psychologist 2%
Education 3%
Social Work Nursing 26% 5%
20%
During the year we Art Therapy Psychologist Quality received a total2% number 2% 594 2% of 60 visitors, 74% Digital and working Technology were nursing or medical 5% learners. 80% of days Education 3% visitors are observing Social Work practice with the intent Leadership and 5% of learning about Management 2% psychological support, education provision, Physiotherapy Psychologist 5% data and digital, Medical 2% 48% physiotherapy, leadership and management, quality assurance, art therapy and social work.
A better understanding amongst generalists of symptom management Increased understanding of the nature and benefit of holistic care An appreciation of the need for forward planning Improved working collaborations The opportunity for patients being better informed about our services Raising the profile of Princess Alice Hospice work Attract future palliative care workforce
“Understanding antiemetics/pain Nursing relief. Understanding requirement 26%of palliative care in the community. Great to hear about what it’s like to be a palliative care doctor.”
“The role of palliative care in supporting a huge cohort of patients with their quality of life.”
Conclusion As an organisation we recognise that we need to be supporting learning of our system and sector partners. We wish to continue to do this. The service evaluation allows us to highlight this aspect of our work and decide how to make it sustainable. We have subsequently initiated a review of the payments received via tariffs for different professional groups and raised awareness amongst staff of the positive impact of hosting Professional Visitors.
“Role of clinical nurse specialist. How hospices are run and funded. Communication and rapport with patients at end of life or approaching.”
“The different pathways by which people can be referred to and access palliative care.”
“Holistic care, patient centred ward rounds, how to diagnose and document death, how hospices work.”
“Understanding how holistic palliative care is and how important communication skills are in this specialty.”
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