Why is IMPACS-NSW important?
Recognising when a person is living with a life-limiting illness enables them to get early access to palliative care and the support they may need.
IMPACS-NSW
Improving Palliative Care Screening in New South Wales Hospitals (IMPACS-NSW) project
The Improving Palliative Care Screening in New South Wales Hospitals (IMPACS-NSW) is a collaborative research project led by the Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) at the University of Wollongong. Our goal is to help hospital staff recognise patients with life-limiting illnesses who could benefit from palliative care, so that support can begin early in their care journey.
Living with advanced illness
People live with many illnesses such as:
- cancer
- dementia or frailty
- neurological illness
- heart, lung, kidney or liver disease
- multiple conditions
Their symptoms, function and support needs may change over time.
Needs recognition is inconsistent
Recognition of palliative care needs may depend on the clinician.
Recognition may happen only after the patient's symptoms get worse or they are close to their last days of life.
Concerns don't always become action
Concerns may be raised by:
- nurses
- allied health clinicians
- doctors
- patients
- families or carers
Action may be delayed due to:
- unclear roles
- fragmented communication
- uncertainty about next steps
Where is IMPACS-NSW happening?
IMPACS-NSW is working with hospitals across New South Wales to develop, implement, and evaluate the routine screening of patients to determine palliative care needs. Each site has its own facilitator(s).
Participating hospitals
Wollongong Hospital
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD)
Facilitators: Tegan Brazier and Melissa Heufel
St George Hospital
South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD)
Facilitator: Monita Mesuria
St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney
St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney (SVHS)
Facilitator: Sherin Easo
What does IMPACS-NSW involve?
Phase 1
Phase 1 is the formative research which lets us understand more about the topic. It involves:
- a scoping review looking at what helps and hinders palliative care integration in hospitals,
- a series of focus groups in each hospital to get a better understanding of how health care professionals identify patients for palliative care,
- a series of workshops to understand how screening for palliative care can work at each hospital.
Information from Phase 1 is used to develop a palliative care implementation framework. The framework will guide the use of a screening tool in the routine assessment of patients for palliative care.
Phase 2
Phase 2 of the study involves:
- a pilot of the framework at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. Results from this pilot study will inform further development of the framework,
- implementation of the framework in 2 wards at Wollongong Hospital and St George Hospital. Results will be evaluated to inform future success and sustainability.
Sherin Easo's PhD research forms part of the broader IMPACS-NSW project.
Project funding
The NSW Government’s End of Life and Palliative Care (EOLPC) Research Grant Program funds IMPACS-NSW.
Project oversight
The Research Leadership Group and Community Advisory Group provide input into the IMPACS-NSW project.
Members
- Sabina Clapham (Chair, Director of PCOC, UOW)
- Pippa Burns (Research Fellow, PCOC, UOW)
- Pippa Blackburn (Co-Director, Division of Palliative Care, ISLHD)
- Alanna Connolly (Senior Performance Analyst, ISLHD)
- Sherin Easo (PhD student, UOW)
- Jacqueline F (Consumer Advisory Group representative)
- Claire Johnson (Director, PACOP, UOW)
- Gemma McErlean (Professor of Cancer Nursing, UTS)
- Davinia Seah (Head of Palliative Medicine, SVHS)
- Linda Sheahan (Clinical Stream Director End of Life and Palliative Care, SESLHD)
Members
- Pippa Burns (Chair, PCOC, UOW)
- Janice B
- Adrienne C
- Jacqueline F
- Jennifer J
- Kathryn J
- Howard L
- Jack Thepsourinthone (PCOC, UOW)
- Kylie Draper (PCOC, UOW)
- Sabina Clapham (Director of PCOC, UOW)