People receiving hospice care may experience concerns about intimacy, closeness and physical affection that can affect their quality of life and wellbeing. However, healthcare professionals often report feeling uncertain about how to initiate or respond to conversations about intimacy needs. This can result in unmet needs and missed opportunities to provide holistic, person-centred care.
The aim of the IN-TALK study is to co-produce a hospice intimacy support toolkit to support healthcare professionals in initiating and responding to conversations about intimacy needs with people receiving hospice care in England.
This prospective mixed methods observational study uses Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) as its co-production methodology to develop a hospice intimacy support toolkit. Findings from the surveys will inform a series of co-production workshops involving hospice service users and healthcare professionals. Together, participants will co-produce the content and design of a hospice intimacy support toolkit to support person-centred care in hospice services across England.
Inclusion Criteria:
Hospice service users: Aged 18 years or over. Hospice service users: Patients, partners, loved ones and bereaved people who are receiving, or have received, care or support services from hospices in England.
Hospice service users: Able to understand and communicate in spoken and written English, independently or with the support of an interpreter.
Hospice service users: Able and willing to provide informed consent. Healthcare professionals: Registered or non-registered healthcare professionals currently working within hospices in England involved in patient care and support.
Healthcare professionals: Aged 18 years or over. Healthcare professionals: Able and willing to provide informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
Hospice service users: Cognitive impairment that impedes communication. Healthcare professionals: Registered and non-registered Healthcare professionals currently working outside of hospices; and England.
kate.sugar@dorothyhouse-hospice.org.uk+44 1225 722988
Adults receiving hospice care in England who meet the study eligibility criteria and participate in the survey, the Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) workshops, or both, to inform the hospice intimacy support toolkit.
Healthcare professionals working within hospice services in England who meet the study eligibility criteria and participate in the survey, the Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) workshops, or both, to inform the hospice intimacy support toolkit.
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