Better opioid prescribing in an inpatient oncology unit: quality improvement project.

Objectives: Unsafe opioid prescribing can lead to significant patient harm and improving standards is a national priority. This report summarises a three-stage process relating to opioid prescribing, which has led to a sustained improvement.

Methods: Opioid prescriptions were reviewed retrospectively over a 4-year period in a tertiary cancer centre.

The Second Conversation project: -Improving training in end of life care communication among junior doctors.

Junior doctors describe a need for greater support and training in end of life care (EoLC) communication skills. The Second Conversation project was designed by a multi-professional steering group as a workplace based training intervention for junior doctors to improve their skills and confidence in undertaking EoLC conversations. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 11 junior doctors and five senior doctors across two sites who took part in, or facilitated, a 'second conversation'.

Electronic palliative care coordination systems (EPaCCS): a systematic review.

Objectives: To systematically search, evaluate and report the state of the science of electronic palliative care coordination systems (EPaCCS).

Methods: We searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library and grey literature for articles evaluating or discussing electronic systems to facilitate sharing of information about advance care plans. Two independent review authors screened full-text articles for inclusion, assessed quality and extracted data.

A new approach to multi-professional end of life care training using a sequential simulation (SqS Simulation™) design: A mixed methods study.

Background: A need for improved education and training for hospital staff caring for patients in the last year of life was identified at an urban UK hospital. Sequential Simulation (SqS Simulation™) is a type of simulation that recreates a patient's journey, considering the longitudinal element of care and how this might impact on the patient's experiences, wishes and needs.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate a new end of life care training intervention for multi-professional hospital staff, and its effect on their confidence in managing patients at the end of their life.