Hospice care delivery for patients with life-limiting illness, inclusive of advanced cancer: Post-COVID-19 Gaps and Steps Forward

Photo: Anchor Bay, Tāwharanui by Natalie Anderson

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people with palliative care needs were considered one of the high-risk groups regarding morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, advanced cancer patients have more unmet needs and challenges compared to early-stage cancer patients (e.g. high symptom burden). Restrictions to hospice visiting and limitations in bereavement support increased psychosocial distress for patients and families. Community palliative care delivery was scaled back, leading to gaps in continuity of care and failure to provide relief from the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of cancer patients and caregivers during this pandemic at a time when they most required it. However, we have also witnessed the extraordinary adaptive capacity of healthcare services to respond to these unprecedented challenges, and hospice/palliative care is no exception. There is a critical need to harness the lessons learned, evaluate policy, and practice changes to benefit cancer patients, their families, and service providers. This study explored future directions for hospice and palliative care delivery. The goal was to provide evidence to increase the accessibility of services for all patients, including cancer patients. Retaining some novel initiatives and partnerships is important, especially with GPs and community colleagues developed during the pandemic. The specialist skills provided within hospices remain vitally important, but widening connections with health and social care providers to help serve local communities is also vital. See the project findings summary.