In search of care strategies for distressed people with communication difficulties and a learning disability in palliative care settings: the lived experiences of registered learning disability nurses and palliative care professionals.

Aims: The aim of this study was to gain an in-depth phenomenological understanding of the care strategies used by registered learning disability nurses (RNLDs) and palliative care professionals (PCPs) to identify and respond to the distress of people with communication difficulties and a learning disability (PCDLD) in palliative care settings. The objective was to critically explore the lived experiences of RNLDs and PCPs who care for distressed PCDLD in palliative care settings.

Methods: A single-phase hermeneutic phenomenological study following Van Manen provided the framework for the synthesis and structuring of the hermeneutic phenomenological text.

Patient preferences for involvement in health service development.

Background:: patient involvement in the design, planning and delivery of health services is acknowledged to be a local and national priority.

Aims:: to improve service quality through a quality improvement initiative to explore patient preferences for involvement in health services design, planning and delivery.

Methods:: a questionnaire was developed to: assess patient preferences for involvement in hospital service development; and explore differences in responses between patient subgroups.