CovPall: Rapid evaluation of the COVID-19 pandemic response in palliative and end of life care: national delivery, workforce and symptom management

Project Description

COVID-19 has an estimated case fatality ratio between 1-4%; higher among older people and those with underlying illnesses. Information is urgently needed to evaluate the evolving palliative and end of life care response. This knowledge is vital to optimise health care delivery, and to manage symptoms, as no evidence currently exists.
This research aims to rapidly and robustly evaluate the UK palliative care and end of life care response in COVID-19 in terms of services, workforce and symptom management to optimise patient and family care.
Design: Rapid, multicentre observational study, comprising two main work packages (WPs):
WP1. Online survey of clinical leads of UK community, hospital and inpatient palliative care and hospice services, to map and understand their workforce and volunteer deployment, innovations, challenges and clinical practices in response to COVID-19.
WP2. Prospective cohort study of the characteristics, symptoms and clinical care experienced by patients within palliative care and hospice services (selected purposively from those responding to WP1), to understand the prevalence and trajectory of symptoms,
treatments received, and their effects (benefits, any harms).
Both WPs run initially (phase I) and are repeated (phase II) after 6-8 weeks. This examines practice changes, successes and difficulties. In addition, in phase II we integrate case studies of successful innovations and challenges, that provide in-depth
insights. Active policy, patient and public engagement is incorporated in all phases of the research, including with charitable and statutory bodies, NHS England, Public Health England, and a virtual Patient and Public Palliative Care forum.