Kerr, Chris and Hawker, Sheila and Payne, Sheila and Seamark, David and Lloyd-Williams, Mari (2006) Out of hours medical cover in community hospitals : implications for palliative care. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 12 (2). pp. 75-80. ISSN 1357-6321
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Background The new General Medical Services contract in England means many GPs have transferred out-of hours work to their primary care organization, with implications for continuity of palliative care in community hospitals. Aim To examine existing arrangements for out-of-hours medical cover in community hospitals, focusing on palliative care. Methods Telephone survey of community hospital managers/ senior nurses across England and Wales. Results Interviews (n = 62) revealed nursing staff were satisfied with existing out-of-hours care. Concern was expressed about the future of out-of-hours medical care from GPs as new services will cover larger areas, meaning unknown doctors may attend, taking longer to arrive. Conclusion Arrangements for out-of-hours medical cover in community hospitals are in transition, threatening the continuity of care for dying patients.