The imPaCT study: a randomised controlled trial to evaluate a hospital Palliative Care Team

A randomised controlled trial was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of a hospital Palliative Care Team (PCT) on physical symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL); patient, family carer and primary care professional reported satisfaction with care; and health service resource use. The full package of advice and support provided by a multidisciplinary specialist PCT ('full-PCT') was compared with limited telephone advice ('telephone- PCT', the control group) in the setting of a teaching hospital trust in the SW of England. The trial recruited 26 1 out of 684 new inpatient referrals; 175 were allocated to 'full-PCT, 86 to 'telephone-PCT' (2: 1 randomisation); with 19 1 (73%) being assessed at I week. There were highly significant improvements in symptoms, HRQoL, mood and 'emotional bother' in full-PCT at I week, maintained over the 4-week follow-up. A smaller effect was seen in 'telephone-PCT'; there were no significant differences between the groups. Satisfaction with care in both groups was high and there was no significant difference between them. These data reflect a high standard of care of patients dying of cancer and other chronic diseases in an acute hospital environment, but do not demonstrate a difference between the two models of service delivery of specialist palliative care. (C) 2002 Cancer Research UK.