We recognised from the very start of the programme to improve community-based specialist palliative care for adults in NW London that the only way we were going to succeed was if we worked closely with local residents, families and carers to develop services that truly meet their needs.
Following the beginning of our review work in November 2021, we carried out extensive engagement with local residents, and in June 2022 we published an interim engagement outcome report, followed by the final engagement outcome report that was published in March 2023.
The feedback and information received fed directly into the model of care working group who had responsibility for developing and co-designing the new model of care for community-based specialist palliative care, based on best practice and evidence, to help us develop high quality community-based specialist palliative care that is delivered equitably and sustainably across NW London.
Following the publication of the initial proposed model of care in August 2023, we engaged with local residents to test whether the model was fit for purpose or if there had been things that we had missed or needed to strengthen.
From September 2023 to October 2023 we completed eight engagement events at both a NW London and borough level, as well as briefing councillors from each of the eight boroughs. These engagement events were attending by residents, CSPC provider leads, voluntary sector, borough programme leads and other key stakeholders. We obtained a rich amount of feedback, comments and valuable input regarding the proposed new model of care and wider palliative care improvement which is covered in this engagement report.
This feedback was then reflected within the revised model of care document.
At the start of November 2023 we were ready to look at what implementation of the new model of care could mean in practice and wanted to ask our local residents for their thoughts on future potential delivery options for the model.
In late November and early December 2023 we completed eleven engagement events where we looked at potential options and attendees had the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions and also had the opportunity to put forward their own suggestions of potential options to be considered if they thought we had missed or not thought of something.
We obtained a rich amount of feedback, comments and valuable input regarding the proposed new model of care and wider palliative care service improvement. We found that there was a broad consensus amongst attendees on the proposed five shortlisted service delivery options for the new model of care that were presented.
We have published a model of care engagement report covering the comments and feedback received at the eight engagement events held at both a NW London and borough level in September and October 2023 and through an online survey and written submissions.
The engagement events were attending by residents, community-based specialist care provider leads, voluntary sector, borough programme leads and other key stakeholders and the attendees had the opportunity to provide feedback, ask questions and put forward their own suggestions of potential options to be considered if they thought we had missed or omitted anything
We obtained a rich amount of feedback, comments and valuable input regarding the proposed new model of care and wider palliative care improvement which is detailed in the engagement report.
We found that attendees were broadly supportive of the proposed model of care but there were several areas where they asked for further information or suggested the model needed strengthening and this feedback has informed the revised model of care we have just published.
The model of care engagement report can be found here.
The notes of the meetings are included within the report and are also available, along with videos of the meetings, via the events page here.
At the start of November 2023 we were ready to look at what implementation of the new model of care could mean in practice and wanted to ask our local residents for their thoughts on future potential delivery options for the model.
In late November and early December 2023 we completed eleven engagement events where we looked at potential options and attendees had the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions and also had the opportunity to put forward their own suggestions of potential options to be considered if they thought we had missed or not thought of something.
This included three NW London wide engagement event and one for each of the NW London boroughs. In addition to this we completed a second engagement event for Hammersmith and Fulham borough at the request of residents and the local authority.
These engagement events were attended by residents, community-based specialist palliative care provider leads, voluntary sector, borough programme leads and other key stakeholders. At the events we explained the process we followed for developing all the options and how we had used hurdle criteria agreed by the Community-based Specialist Palliative Care Steering Group to whittle these down to a short list of five potential delivery options.
The four hurdle criteria we used were:
- Strategic fit - how well the option advances local, NW London, regional and national priorities (specifically whether the service proposal reduces inequity of provision across NW London and meets evidence of need).
- Quality of care - how well the option improves the service delivered to residents and outcomes (specifically whether the proposed service configuration leads to safe, high quality care and accessible care).
- Affordability - how affordable is the option and to what extent does it represent good value for money.
- Achievability - to what extent can service providers incorporate required changes, including skilled workforce availability, whilst maintaining the same quality of service (i.e. whether the proposal can be realistically delivered).
The five short listed delivery options are:
- Option 0 – do nothing, continue with current provision.
- Option 1 – some change, minimum workable solution with a focus on providing fairness of provision (minimal improvement to care in the home, Pembridge in-patient unit remains closed, 54 enhanced end-of-life care beds).
- Option 2 - some change, minimum workable solution with a focus on providing fairness of provision (minimal improvement to care in the home, Pembridge in-patient re-opens, 54 enhanced end-of-life care beds).
- Option 3 – full implementation, fully deliver model of care (substantial improvements to care in the home and other community-based specialist palliative care services, Pembridge in-patient unit remains closed, 54 enhanced end-of-life beds).
- Option 4 – full implementation, fully deliver model of care (substantial improvements to care in the home and other community-based specialist palliative care services, Pembridge in-patient unit reopens, 54 enhanced end-of-life beds).
We obtained a rich amount of feedback, comments and valuable input regarding the proposed new model of care and wider palliative care service improvement.
We found that there was a broad consensus amongst attendees on the proposed five shortlisted service delivery options for the new model of care that were presented.
The full engagement outcome report on potential delivery options for the new model of care is available here.