• Sophie Pask, Allen Omoruyi, Ahmed Mohamed, Rachel L Chambers, Phillippa G McFarlane, Therese Johansson, Rashmi Kumar, Andy Woodhead, Ikumi Okamoto, Stephen Barclay, Irene J Higginson, Katherine E Sleeman, and Fliss Em Murtagh.
• Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
• Palliat Med. 2024 May 1; 38 (5): 555571555-571.

BackgroundTelephone advice lines have been recommended internationally to support around-the-clock care for people living at home with advanced illness. While they undoubtedly support care, there is little evidence about what elements are needed for success. A national picture is needed to understand, improve and standardise service delivery/care.AimTo explore telephone advice lines for people living at home with advanced illness across the four UK nations, and to construct a practical framework to improve services.DesignA cross-national evaluation of telephone advice lines using structured qualitative interviews. A patient and public involvement workshop was conducted to refine the framework.Setting/ParticipantsProfessionals with responsibilities for how palliative care services are delivered and/or funded at a local or regional level, were purposively sampled.ResultsSeventy-one interviews were conducted, covering 60 geographical areas. Five themes were identified. Availability: Ten advice line models were described. Variation led to confusion about who to call and when. Accessibility, awareness and promotion: It was assumed that patients/carers know who to call out-of-hours, but often they did not. Practicalities: Call handlers skills/expertise varied, which influenced how calls were managed. Possible responses ranged from signposting to organising home visits. Integration/continuity of care: Integration between care providers was limited by electronic medical records access/information sharing. Service structure/commissioning: Sustained funding was often an issue for charitably funded organisations.ConclusionsOur novel evidence-based practical framework could be transformative for service design/delivery, as it presents key considerations relating to the various elements of advice lines that may impact on the patient/carer experience.

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