Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of an inpatient and community palliative care service

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the usual provision of healthcare, changing models of care, clinical loads, service provision and patient behaviour.

Aims: This study assesses the impact of COVID-19 on community and inpatient palliative care service provision.

Methods: A retrospective audit and comparison of service use conducted over two defined periods, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2019-2020.

Findings: The community palliative care service had a 9% increase in referrals, with a lower proportion of referrals (2.4%) from subacute/palliative care hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Provision of care during the pandemic included less face-to-face contact with patients (24.1% versus 30.2% before), and markedly more contact with patients via videoconference (2.1% versus 0.1% before the pandemic).

Conclusion: The community specialist palliative care service was busier during the pandemic period, and experienced a shift in mode of care delivery, while the inpatient unit experienced no difference in service use.