Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the level of psychological services available to patients and staff in hospices.
Design
Questionnaire analysis.
Setting
Hospices in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Participants
224 hospices.
Main outcome measures
The availability of professional psychological support for those with advanced disease.
Results
Responses were received from 166 hospices (74%). Only 50 hospices (30%) have access to a psychiatrist, whilst 68 (41%) have access to a clinical psychologist and 92 (45%) have neither. Only 21 hospices (12%) have service level agreements with local mental health trusts. Counsellors, complementary therapists and spiritual advisors such as chaplains were more plentiful.
Conclusions
Delivery of the NICE guidelines, especially tier four, may be compromised by limited availability of specialist services. This has implications for the psychological assessment of applicants for voluntary euthanasia under an Assisted Dying Act.