About

Background to the research:

GPs provide a key role in facilitating end-of-life care. However, variable provision to palliative care in primary care settings can lead to inequitable or suboptimal care. In 2019, the Royal College of General Practitioners and Marie Curie UK General Practice Core Standards for Advanced Serious Illness and End of Life Care (also known as the Daffodil Standards) were launched to help practices self-assess and consistently offer the best end of life and bereavement care for patients.

The RCGP & Marie Curie UK General Practice Daffodil Standards for Advanced Serious Illness and End of Life Care include a comprehensive set of resources designed to support awareness, understanding, and management of people with Advanced Serious Illness and End of Life Care, whilst promoting continuous quality improvement initiatives informed by an organised and efficient approach to identify and sustain input to patients in need within a GP practice [12]. It encourages the development of a care system to improve the quality [13] and safety of outcomes for end-of-life patients in primary care. Since their launch in February 2019, 1,690 practices have signed up across the UK. This represents circa 20% of all UK practices with population coverage of 13.2 million.  

Fundamental preliminary work is needed to capture the initial theories about context and mechanisms underpinning the effectiveness of the interventions [14]. In doing so, it will be possible to (i) explore new approaches to measurement for the implementation of Daffodil Standards across the UK and capture initial lessons learnt; and (ii) examine the feasibility of a range of factors (recruitment, attrition, compliance) which will be critical knowledge before contemplating any form of trial or comparative analysis.

We have been commissioned to evaluate the implementation of the RCGP Daffodil Standards in General Practice to enable a deeper understanding of the barriers and enablers for implementing the Daffodil Standards in the UK context.

Aims of the research:

About

Background to the research:

The RCGP & Marie Curie UK General Practice Daffodil Standards for Advanced Serious Illness and End of Life Care include a comprehensive set of resources designed to support awareness, understanding, and management of people with Advanced Serious Illness and End of Life Care, whilst promoting continuous quality improvement initiatives informed by an organised and efficient approach to identify and sustain input to patients in need within a GP practice [12]. It encourages the development of a care system to improve the quality [13] and safety of outcomes for end-of-life patients in primary care. Since their launch in February 2019, 1,690 practices have signed up across the UK. This represents circa 20% of all UK practices with population coverage of 13.2 million.  

Fundamental preliminary work is needed to capture the initial theories about context and mechanisms underpinning the effectiveness of the interventions [14]. In doing so, it will be possible to (i) explore new approaches to measurement for the implementation of Daffodil Standards across the UK and capture initial lessons learnt; and (ii) examine the feasibility of a range of factors (recruitment, attrition, compliance) which will be critical knowledge before contemplating any form of trial or comparative analysis.

We have been commissioned to evaluate the implementation of the RCGP Daffodil Standards in General Practice to enable a deeper understanding of the barriers and enablers for implementing the Daffodil Standards in the UK context.

Aims of the research:

To evaluate the current implementation of the Daffodil Standards, and how they have affected palliative care activities in general practice


To identify the factors that can lead to a wider implementation of the Daffodils Standards


To explore the implementation of the Daffodil Standards to-date, to capture illustrative practices for sharing transferable practical learning with other practices facing similar challenges to improve or sustain end of life care activities.

To evaluate the current implementation of the Daffodil Standards, and how they have affected palliative care activities in general practice


To identify the factors that can lead to a wider implementation of the Daffodils Standards


To explore the implementation of the Daffodil Standards to-date, to capture illustrative practices for sharing transferable practical learning with other practices facing similar challenges to improve or sustain end of life care activities.

Methods



Public and Patient Involvement

Two research partners will join the project. They will attend the team meetings and contribute at all stages of the service evaluation by commenting on the study documentation and contributing to the interpretation of the findings. The research partners will be identified via the PRIME Centre SUPER Group (Division of Population Medicine, Cardiff University). The research partners will be collaborators to the study and will be invited to co-author the final report and any dissemination documents.

Funder:

RCGP & Marie Curie

Award amount:

£69,616

Project start & end dates:

31/03/2022 – 31/03/2024

Type of study:

Service evaluation

Methods



Public and Patient Involvement

Two research partners will join the project. They will attend the team meetings and contribute at all stages of the service evaluation by commenting on the study documentation and contributing to the interpretation of the findings. The research partners will be identified via the PRIME Centre SUPER Group (Division of Population Medicine, Cardiff University). The research partners will be collaborators to the study and will be invited to co-author the final report and any dissemination documents.

Funder:

RCGP & Marie Curie

Award amount:

£69,616

Project start & end dates:

31/03/2022 – 31/03/2024

Type of study:

Service evaluation

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