What knowledge and skills are needed for community volunteers to take on a signposting role in community-based palliative care? A qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Community volunteers in palliative care (PC) have a unique position between healthcare professionals, community residents with care needs, and informal caregivers, offering complementary care and potentially playing a key signposting role. However, they need specific support in recognizing, describing, and communicating patient needs effectively, which can be transferred through training. The specific knowledge and skills required to take on this signposting role remain unclear.

Aims

To explore (1) experiences of communication and information sharing between community volunteers and healthcare professionals and (2) the desired and required knowledge and skills volunteers need to recognize, describe, and communicate PC needs to healthcare professionals.

Methods<

SUBMITTER: Van Steenbergen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12163260 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature