The ARC's palliative care response to Covid-19

Palliative care is vital to improve quality of life and care during this pandemic.

The ARC's palliative and end of life care team, based at the Cicely Saunders Institute, King's College London, have completed and published several rapid Covid-19 related research studies, including a systematic review on the role of palliative care and hospice services in pandemics.

• Building on the findings of this rapid review, we planned and launched a new collaborative study to understand how palliative care and hospice services have adapted practices and staffing and used innovations to respond to Covid-19. 
• We also produced a leaflet to help people living with breathlessness, based on evidence from our earlier research into breathlessness. This leaflet helps people with chronic conditions manage their breathlessness at home during the pandemic.
• We prepared international guidance to help respiratory professionals manage the supportive care needs of those with Covid-19.  The latter includes co-designed information leaflets for patients and their friends and family.   

We captured views within our already developed online forum at the Cicely Saunders Institute (www.csipublicinvolvement.co.uk) and by email and telephone.  Over 50 responses have been received so far and are being analysed.

You can access these resources and our growing body of research and implementation here.