Journal Article

Policy recommendations for early integrated palliative care for older non-cancer patients

Doñate-Martínez, Ascensión, Linklater, Gordon, Camacho, Mariana, Giménez-Campos, Maria Soledad, Valero-Ramón, Zoe, Alhambra-Borrás, Tamara, Doumas, Michael, Luc, Marine, Garcés-Ferrer, Jorge, Adriano, Fernandes, Bradley, Clare, Reppou, Sofia, Hoermann, Vera, Gas, Maria Eugenia

2025

Overview

Policy makers need to consider the situation of the poor provision of Palliative Care (PC) in Europe. This deficiency has significant impact on older persons' health and contributes to increased healthcare costs later in life. The InAdvance project (ref. 825750) has generated new policy recommendations based on solutions for the early detection and referral of PC in older adults. These recommendations emphasize the positive impact on the quality of life of older patients and their families as well as the cost-effectiveness of implementing such strategies. For this purpose, various stakeholders contributed to the formulation of these policy recommendations. Initially, the drafting process commenced with healthcare professionals (HCPs)directly involved with patients in need of PC from Greece, Portugal, Spain and the UK. Additionally, an internal workshop with project partners facilitated dialogue among different healthcare institutions, engaging different HCPs in contact with older people in PC. This discussion initially pinpointed common challenges experienced across the diverse pilot sites, with the reality on the ground varying based on pathologies and the settings where PC services are provided. Once these common challenges were identified, partners set out the issues clearly and defined best practices how these issues can be addressed at national level. In parallel, a survey was circulated among AGE Platform Europe members of the Task Force on Dignified and Healthy Ageing to initiate a consultation. This aimed to understand the main barriers and facilitators in accessing PC for older people in their respective countries. Twenty-six completed surveys were received representing 17 different European countries. The contributions resulted in the identification of six main challenges impacting the quality and accessibility of PC: i) PC is neither available nor accessible for all; ii) Education and public awareness about PC is lacking; iii) Non-person-centred care leads to late identification of needs; iv) Fragmentation and discontinuity of care; v) Cost-effectiveness of early admission to PC; and vi) Diverse legal context in Europe. Finally, the drafted recommendations were presented and validated during a workshop organised in the European and Economic Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels. Twenty-two EU stakeholders attended this event and provided valuable feedback and insights on PC from different perspectives. The methodology employed in formulating these recommendations incorporates diverse perspectives and inputs from various professional backgrounds and an international audience. This approach serves as a first attempt and the basis for an open dialogue at national level. The outcomes of this work will be disseminated to policy makers working for EU institutions who have the potential to influence policy making in Europe. Additionally, it will be shared with policy makers at national level in Greece, Portugal, Spain and the UK, where they can exert influence on local and regional policies.              

• Publisher: Ubiquity Press