Advancing Person-Centred Care Through Palliative Care WA's ACP Workshops: The Longer-Term Impact

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Health Services Research
• Medical Ethics

Background:

• End-of-life planning is crucial for quality palliative care, ensuring patient preferences are respected.
• Advance Care Planning (ACP) is a priority in Australia for communicating personal preferences.
• Palliative Care Western Australia (PCWA) offers ACP workshops.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term impact of PCWA's ACP workshops.
• To assess the effectiveness of ACP in facilitating end-of-life decision-making.
• To understand participant experiences with ACP.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 21 participants.
• Data collection using qualitative methods.
• Reflexive thematic analysis to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Three emergent themes: 'Finding the words,' 'Finding the people,' and 'Finding the way.'
• Workshops improved correct completion of Advance Health Directives (AHD).
• Substitute decision-makers gained confidence; healthcare professionals provided person-centred care.

Conclusions:

• PCWA ACP workshops effectively support individuals in documenting end-of-life wishes.
• The workshops enhance confidence for substitute decision-makers and improve care delivery.
• ACP is vital for person-centred palliative care and respecting patient autonomy.