An analysis of calls to an out-of-hours palliative care advice line.

An advice line was set up by a specialist palliative care hospice to improve the provision of out-of-hours palliative care to primary care teams, i.e. from 17.00 to 09.00 h during the week and at weekends and bank holidays. A senior member of nursing staff or medical staff answered all calls. During the first year of operation, 98 calls were received. The majority of callers were GPs (55%) and community nurses (34%). The advice requested was largely related to management of pain and the use of opiates, e.g. breakthrough dose of opiates and conversion of drugs to syringe drivers. Recommendations from this study include the provision of continuing education on management of terminally ill patients, and improved communication between primary care teams, providers of out-of-hours primary care and specialist palliative care teams.