Development of a standardised pro forma for specialist palliative care multidisciplinary team meetings

A pro forma of the caseload of the community palliative care clinical nurse specialists in the Central Lancashire Community Specialist Palliative Care Team was devised to provide a brief overview of each patient's plan of care for use in the multidisciplinary team meetings and as a consequence of preparing for the UK Department of Health's peer review process. The pro forma was also designed to be used in everyday clinical practice in Gold Standards Framework meetings in the community. It has been evaluated by the team and found to be helpful for highlighting key issues in clinical practice, such as symptoms, psychological and emotional needs, and Preferred Priorities of Care. Over the past 2 years, it has also complemented the organisation's drive to become 'paperless'. This article looks at how the pro forma was developed, how it has evolved over time, and how it works today. Consideration has also been given to its benefits and limitations.